Wide four-lane motorways with 110 km / h speed limit may become more rare in the future. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration envisages two alternatives; one is a road with two or three lanes, at 90 km / h. The second is a narrow four-lane road, with a speed limit of 90 or 100 km / h. This is the proposal from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration: The limit for where a four-lane motorway is to be built will be raised for roads with up to 6,000 vehicles a day, to 8,000. The threshold for the minimum amount of traffic will be higher. There will also be a higher threshold for where a wide four-lane motorway will be built at 110 kilometers per hour. Today, the threshold is 12,000 vehicles a day. Now they want to raise it to 15,000. Currently, the plans may affect two projects. One is the motorway between Kongsberg and Notodden. Instead of a narrow four-lane road at 110 kilometers per hour, there can be two or three fields at 90 kilometers per hour. This applies to the section Saggrenda-Elgsjø. There may also be a narrower motorway towards Sweden. It was planned for 110 kilometers per hour between Retvet and Vinterbro, but now the Norwegian Public Roads Administration will consider changing to 100 kilometers per hour. It shows a new professional recommendation that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration has sent to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. – Cheap and good for the environment It is of course faster to get on a four-lane road at 110 kilometers per hour, but there are several advantages to building fewer of these, the Public Roads Administration believes. They point out that 2-3 fields at 90 km / h provide more protection for vulnerable areas, in addition to less encroachment on nature. – It is about both wanting to cut costs and save space. Thus, a 2-3 lane road will be a good alternative to a four-lane motorway, where there is not too much traffic, says section manager Tanja Loftsgarden in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. GOOD PROPOSAL: Section manager Tanja Loftsgarden in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration believes that the new proposal meets both developers and those who travel along the road. Photo: The Norwegian Public Roads Administration Loftsgarden points out that there have been challenges in succeeding with road projects. Among other things, because they become too expensive and require too much area. – We relate to the assignments we receive from the Ministry of Transport, and feel that what we have proposed now meets the needs of both developers and those who travel along the road. Naturvernforbundet cheers The new road proposal is good news for Naturvernforbundet. Leader Truls Gulowsen is happy that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration shares the same views as them. SUPPORTS THE PROPOSAL: Truls Gulowsen of the Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation is happy that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration will save the environment when they build roads in the future. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news – We can not assume that traffic will continue to increase. There is already far too much car traffic on Norwegian roads. In a climate-friendly future, we must drive less, not more, says Gulowsen. He thinks there is no point in hoping that there will be more traffic, and then use it as a “bad and hidden excuse” to build what he believes are oversized highways. – This is an end to the FRP period in Norwegian motorway policy, which has been politically controlled with monster motorways with enormous natural loss and enormous economic consequences, Gulowsen concludes. – Back to the past Storting representative Bård Hoksrud (Frp) is provoked by the proposal to build narrower roads. He fears it will lead to more accidents. DISAGREE: Bård Hoksrud hopes the government does not support the proposal from the Public Roads Administration. He is in favor of more development of four-lane roads. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news – The road through Vestfold was two-lane, and was previously called the Road of Death. After being built there, there have been almost no serious or fatal accidents on that road. Hoksrud also does not agree that the road development that his party has fought for destroys nature or costs too much. He thinks the third bridge between Porsgrunn and Bamble is a good example of this. – We built too small and bad in the past. What the Public Roads Administration wants back to now is at least encroachment on nature, and it is bad for society. It costs an insane amount to build the same thing three times, instead of building a good four-lane road right away. He also does not believe that there will be fewer vehicles on Norwegian roads in the future. – The traffic is higher, neither the Norwegian Public Roads Administration nor the Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation can refuse, and then we have to build proper roads. The proposal to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration will be submitted for consultation, in order to receive input from several actors.
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The Norwegian Public Roads Administration wants slimmer motorways and lower speed limits – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
