– There aren’t that many people on the road. It is a pity. There must be quite a few more users if there is to be economy in this, says Tor Inge Kjellesvik. Together with Tove Kjellesvik, he cycles on the part of the cycle path between Stavanger and Sandes that is already ready. They are almost completely alone on the road. Tor Inge believes the price tag is very high, and has doubts as to whether the costs are in proportion to the use. Tor Inge and Tove Kjellesvik often cycle. Photo: Odin Omland / news A history of rising prices Last autumn, the cycle route, known as the cycle route, was expected to cost NOK 1.880 billion. The budget gap was then NOK 355 million. Since then, the price has continued to rise. Now the latest final forecast shows that the cycle trunk route will have a price tag of over NOK 2.2 billion. In 2008, it was estimated that the road would cost between NOK 200 and 350 million. Stavanger Aftenblad mentioned the case first. The cycle route between Stavanger and Sandnes is 13 kilometers long. Photo: Odin Omland / news County mayor Ole Ueland in Rogaland says it is regrettable that the costs have increased. – These are additional costs that the state should have covered. It is the state’s project – and therefore the state’s responsibility for the increased costs, he says. Ole Ueland is county mayor in Rogaland. He says the cycleway will be an effective way to ensure limited traffic. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news The cycle trunk road is to be financed with state funds through the Byvekstvatten. But the price adjustment, which causes the sum for the cycleway to rise and rise, has not yet been decided how it will be covered. – Do motorists have to pay more tolls for this? – Our starting point is that this should not be financed with tolls, replies Ueland. – The government must get on board It is primarily increased prices that are the reason why it has become so much more expensive to build the cycleway. Kjartan Alexander Lunde (V). Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news Kjartan Alexander Lunde (V) says you have to try to find ways to reduce costs without compromising quality. – The left believes that the government must step in and get the money that is missing in place. The steering group should call for this, says Lunde. Kristoffer Birkedal (Frp) is deputy mayor in Sandnes. He is clear in his case about who he thinks should pay the bill. – The solution will be for the government to pay. It feels like they are running away from the bill, he says. Deputy mayor of Sandnes, Kristoffer Birkedal (Frp). Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news Birkedal mentions that the urban growth agreement has led to positive figures for the area. – There has been an increase in public transport and increased use of city and electric bicycles. Everything points in the right direction, he says. State Secretary Tom Kalsås (Ap) in the Ministry of Transport points out that the state finances the entire cost of the development of the cycle trunk road. – But when there are cost increases in the project in a portfolio-managed city package, it can mean that there is no room to start up certain other smaller walking, cycling and public transport measures since such cost increases are something that must be handled within the city package. State Secretary Tom Kalsås (Ap). Photo: Stortinget Kalsås says that there has been a large increase in prices in the transport sector in recent years. Under 1,000 cyclists every day The Cycle Trunk Road’s project manager Kari Smådal Turøy admits that there are not enough cyclists on the cycle trunk road just yet. According to her, just under 1,000 cyclists per day use the road. – We saw an increase of around 40 per cent from last year. There is a marked increase in percentage, but not large amounts yet, it must be said. Kari Smådal Turøy is the project manager for the bicycle trunk road between Stavanger and Sandnes. Photo: Odin Omland / news Turøy is optimistic anyway. – When we open the section we are working on in Sandnes in the summer of next year, I think we will see a fairly large increase. It’s about travel habits, people have to find out that it’s worth finding the bike. Less noise from the roads Cyclist Tove Kjellesvik reminds us of the societal economy of the cycle path. – We will be fitter and there will be less traffic and noise on the roads. Therefore, she hopes that all the resource use involved in creating a new cycle path will pay off in the long run. – But those are staggering sums, she says. A six-kilometre cycle path between the Auglend tunnel in Stavanger and Sandnes’ border at Forus has been opened. Forus to Oalsgata in Sandnes will be completed in the summer of 2024. The start of construction on the last two and a half kilometers is planned for May. Photo: Odin Omland / news
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Disagreement about who should pay for the cycle trunk road which is getting more and more expensive – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
