Tromsøbrua was actually supposed to be closed towards the end of the week. But now Troms county council is speeding up the closure of the bridge because HGV drivers are pushing past the guards who are trying to enforce the driving ban for heavy vehicles over the bridge. Maintenance work is ongoing on the bridge, and on Friday Troms county council said that heavy vehicles over the bridge could cause too much damage to the bridge. – During the weekend, we experienced even more cases of heavy vehicles refusing to follow the guards’ rejection of heavy vehicles. Now we can do nothing but close, says Troms transport manager Bjørn Kavli in a press release. Bjørn Kavli says they have no choice but to close the Tromsø Bridge. Photo: Troms county municipality – You can’t refuse me A weight limit of seven tonnes has been introduced for vehicles to avoid major damage to the bridge. This can lead to the bridge having to be closed over a long period to repair the damage. Security guards were therefore hired to enforce the ban by stopping heavy traffic in Tromsdalen and on Tromsøya and diverting it to the Tromsøysund tunnel. – The guards tell of drivers who respond with “you can’t refuse me”, and then push past the guards. In some cases, the guards have had to jump away, says Kavli. The bridge will be open for city buses and emergency vehicles until 8pm on Monday. It will still be possible for pedestrians and cyclists to use the bridge throughout the work period. Kavli understands that it will cause inconvenience to bus passengers who will have a longer detour, and asks for understanding and patience for the next three and a half weeks. – This also came upon us suddenly, but now we have to ensure that the work can be carried out as efficiently as possible so that the closure lasts as short as possible. It is in everyone’s interest, he says. Published 01.07.2024, at 13.09 Updated 01.07.2024, at 13.34
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Now Troms county council closes the bridge to all traffic – news Troms and Finnmark
