– If grazing areas disappear, I have to close them down. That’s what I’m most anxious about, says farmer Sven Ivar Bakka, patting a dairy cow. He owns Tveite farm, which is one of several farms located close to today’s E18 in Tvedestrand. Now the dairy farmer fears for the future due to the development of a new motorway. Farmer and owner of Tveite farm Sven Ivar Bakka. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Bakka and his wife bought the farm 10 years ago. They also rent grazing areas from the neighbour. – We need the cultivated land we have. It is absolutely essential for grazing, says the dairy farmer. From Tvedestrand to Gjerstad, the E18 will become a four-lane motorway with a speed limit of 100 km/h. The choice is between reusing and extending the current route or laying the motorway further up into forested areas. Tveite farm has its grazing areas close to today’s E18. The farmer fears he will have to shut down if the cultivated land is taken for road development. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news – No future to live here – There is no future to live here if the motorway is expanded, says Anders Lunde, pointing to today’s E18 a short stone’s throw away. He is the 14th generation at Lunde farm, which will be affected. Lunde is one of two old cluster farms in Agder with buildings dating back to the early 17th century. The farm user believes the proposed route with reuse of the current E18 will threaten the entire rural community. – I am more than happy to sacrifice land for a new motorway, but then it has to be built in the forest in the moors behind. He owns large forest areas on the other side of the E18. Lunde gård is a cluster of old buildings close to today’s E18. If it is expanded to a four-lane motorway, the landowner fears for the entire village plot. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Great commitment The commitment to expanding the current E18 is great among the local population. Over 200 signatures have been collected in a few days. They fear people will have to leave their homes and that cultivated land will be lost forever. – We are fighting against the village being razed and split in two. That would be disastrous, says spokesperson for Songe Vel Jaana Lindland. Locals wonder what is more important – forests or vibrant rural communities? They are particularly reported to the State Administrator in Agder, who advises against a new E18 in the forest areas out of consideration for nature and wildlife. – The road proposal in the forest goes through large and particularly important natural areas. Not only will a road split up these areas, but wildlife will also be severely affected. In sum, it causes too great an environmental impact, says director of environmental protection Ingunn Løvdal at the State Administrator in Agder. – So nature considerations count more than housing and farming? – We always weigh the whole in a plan, answers Løvdal. Today’s E18 on the left in the picture. The state administrator in Agder will expand and reuse the route. Locals believe this will affect valuable cultivated land. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news To be decided in the autumn The company Nye Veier will choose the route for the new motorway during the autumn. Four routes are to be investigated. Two with reuse of today’s E18 and two located in forest areas in the heath. news has been in contact with the company Nye Veier. They have registered the popular involvement, but say this will not affect the investigation, which is ongoing, of the various route choices. Nye Veier collaborates with an inter-municipal committee consisting of the municipalities of Risør, Gjerstad, Vegårshei and Tvedestrand. When it becomes clear which route Nye Veier will recommend to the affected municipalities, the municipal councils must process this. If there is no unanimity about the choice of route, it is the Ministry of Transport and Communications as the appeal body that decides. Today’s E18 runs through Songedumpa in Tvedestrand. The local charity fears that the entire rural community will be razed if this section is extended to a four-lane motorway. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news
ttn-69
Fears farms must be shut down for new E18 – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
