– It is almost unbelievable that the accident we feared happened an hour after we passed, says Ola Olsbu in Agder County Municipality. He is county director for transport and property in Agder county municipality. Olsbu refers to the stretch between Tvedestrand and Risør as the most dangerous stretch on the E18 between Kristiansand and Oslo. – It is the only section that does not have middle sections on the E18, together with the section Tangen-Dørdal in Telemark, says Olsbu. Together with county mayor Arne Thomassen (H), he drove past the Lundeslettene in Tvedestrand yesterday. Shortly afterwards, an accident occurred between two cars in which one person lost his life. Two other people were injured. Ironically, the two were on their way to Oslo for an input meeting on the upcoming national transport plan. On the way in they discussed the stretch they were passing. – We then talked about the fact that an accident can quickly happen here and that we have to work hard to ensure it, says Olsbu. County director for transport Ola Olsbu in Agder county municipality says he will contact Risør and Tvedestrand to see if they can do something together to make progress. Photo: Svein Sundsdal / news Neighbour: – Scary Elin Nodland is the nearest neighbor to the accident site. She and her family have lived there for 36 years. She thinks it is very sad that there has now been another serious accident on the road. – People drive fast here. It is a long plain that is often used for overtaking, says Nodland. She says they have experienced many near misses in the years they have lived there. – It is high time that something happened with this road, she says. A total of three people were involved in the traffic accident on Monday. One person died and two others were injured. The police will not comment on their state of health. Photo: Kjetil Samuelsen / news 15 accidents in ten years The 11 kilometer long stretch between Lunde and Akland will soon be the only eastbound section of the E18 without median sections. In the last ten years, there have been 15 accidents here. Two people have died, two seriously injured and 21 slightly injured, according to statistics from the National Road Administration. Olsbu will now speed up the process with the new E18. At the same time, he believes it is important to take short-term measures to make the stretch safer for traffic. He now wants to talk to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration about what can be done in anticipation of the new E18. Solutions have pointed to a lower speed on the stretch and middle parts. – We have to have that discussion and see if there are any measures. Because the way it looks now, it may take several years before the new E18 arrives. To review the accident The National Road Administration states that yesterday’s accident will be reviewed to look at possible measures. Section leader Ingmar Ulvenes says that, as of today, there are no planned measures on the stretch. – Putting down the barrel can be a good tool. Center sections require a certain width, so we may have to look into that, he says. – How would you describe the road? – I don’t see any direct problem section, but it is old and both the amount of traffic and the speed are increasing, so of course there are challenges. Section head of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration Ingmar Ulvenes says it is a challenge that both traffic and speed increase on the “old” E18. Photo: Robert Hansen / news Mayor: – It’s terrible On Tuesday there was a meeting between the mayors of Tvedestrand and Risør about the new E18. The meeting was planned before Monday’s fatal accident. news meets Tvedestrand mayor Marianne Landaas (H) at the scene of the accident after the meeting. – 15 accidents is pretty bad. It is terrible because such accidents take such a toll on people, she says. She says that at the meeting they talked about progress, but fears it will take five years before the new E18 is in place. – Now it is important that we influence so that something happens. Marianne Landaas Mayor of Tvedestrand believes it is high time that this section of the E18 is upgraded. Yesterday’s fatal accident happened right behind where she is standing. Photo: Kjetil Samuelsen / news
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Thinks something must be done about life-threatening E18 – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
