On the narrow and winding county road 611 in Sunnfjord, large vehicles thunder by. The mining company Nordic Mining is in full swing with its mining project at Engebø in Vevring. But the road is a challenge – both for the mining company and for the villagers. Many years ago, therefore, Nordic Mining and the then Sogn og Fjordane county council agreed on a joint venture to upgrade the road. In 2011, the mining company signed that they would contribute 40 million when the road work starts. Old mistake cost millions But now that the road work can start, an old blemish has appeared. Because the agreement does not say anything about the money pot being price-adjusted. The county municipality has not calculated the sum itself, but according to Statistics Norway’s price calculator, the 40 million in 2011 would today amount to 54.7 million. As a result, close to 15 million road kroner may have been lost. – This is a weakness of the agreement, says county mayor Jon Askeland. – The millions who signed at the time did not take into account the fact that 10-12 years later there has been a price trend in society. Dina Lefdal, department director for infrastructure and roads in Vestland County Municipality, agrees that there is a weakness in the agreement. – I think it was an oversight. It’s a shame, because price adjustments are usually included in such agreements. But this wasn’t done then, and it’s a bit of a shame, says Lefdal. The Sæla – Holmeset stretch will be completed when the road work on county road 611 starts this year. Photo: Skjermbilete / Vestland County Council Does not agree to price adjustment The total pool of money for the project is 130.9 million. The plan has been a full improvement of a shorter stretch of road. The rest of the money will go to meeting places and security measures. The claim of the county politicians is that Nordic Mining should agree to a price adjustment “if it is to be possible to make the absolutely necessary adjustments”. But Nordic Mining does not agree to that. Director of operations Kenneth Nakken Angedal says they stick to the agreement as it stands, but that they can contribute surplus materials to the road work. – Beyond the 40 million, we can contribute with stone. It is important for us to have a good and safe road, and that there will be good meeting places, he says. It looks bleak for the county council to get more funds from Nordic Mining for upgrading county road 611. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim / news Have to adjust the plans County mayor Jon Askeland says they are in talks with the mining company and Sunnfjord municipality about the road further. Then they will talk about road standards and how the project will be solved financially. Dina Lefdal in the county council says they have to adjust the road plans so that it is in line with the money they can use. – Does this mean that the road improvement will not be on as large a scale as they have intended? – No, it doesn’t mean that. We have planned based on the money we have, and then we have not counted on a price adjustment from Nordic Mining. In any case, we have to adapt the activity based on the funds we have.
ttn-69
A “forgetting” makes this road much more expensive – news Vestland
