Open informational meeting about Sundabraut in Laugardalur

Ritstjórn
There was good participation in discussions that took place after the presentations in the packed auditorium at Hotel Nordica. Mynd/Anton Brink
People at the meeting.

Attendance was strong at an open informational meeting in Laugardalur on Tuesday evening, Oct. 21, where route options for Sundabraut are now being presented. The meeting was prompted by the publication of the Sundabraut environmental assessment report and draft municipal plan amendments in the Urban Planning Portal.

There was good participation in discussions that took place after the presentations in the packed auditorium at Hotel Nordica. Guðmundur Valur Guðmundsson, a representative of the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration and chair of the Sundabraut planning project steering committee, presented the project and the findings of the environmental assessment report at the meeting. Andri Gunnarsson and Ragnhildur Gunnarsdóttir from EFLA engineering firm, the consulting firm for the environmental assessment report, discussed road connections and specific aspects of the assessment. Meanwhile, Haraldur Sigurðsson, head of division for municipal planning at Reykjavík City's Department of Environment & Planning, reviewed the project's alignment with the City's municipal plan. The meeting chair was G. Pétur Matthíasson.

After the question-and-answer session, attendees could examine the data with specialists at several stations around the room and learn more about the project.

Questions raised about traffic reduction and countermeasures

In its environmental assessment report, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration presents two main options for the Kleppsvík crossing between Sæbraut at Sundahöfn and Gufunes: a tunnel or a 30 meter (98 foot) high bridge. Both options follow the same route from Gufunes through Geldinganes, Gunnunes, and Álfsnes to Kjalarnes. The route will cross Eiðsvík, Leiruvogur, and Kollafjörður using causeways and bridges. The presentation also covered how the construction would improve traffic flow in the capital area and its alignment with planned changes to Reykjavík's municipal plan.

Topics discussed at the meeting included residents' concerns about traffic levels and acoustics, along with discussions about countermeasures, questions about the environment and nature, and dredging and landfilling. You can view a recording of the meeting, including the discussions, here:

Reykjavík's key principles for the project

  • Improving transportation for all travel modes: driving, public transit, walking, and biking.
  • Minimizing negative impacts on nearby residential areas and connections between neighborhoods.
  • Having a minimal impact on harbor operations and leading to the favorable long-term development of harbor areas.
  • Ensuring structures fit well with the landscape, nature, and built environment, while maintaining ambitious aesthetic design standards.
  • Designing road structures, bridge solutions, and landfills to minimize impacts on biota.
  • Seeking ways to minimize the scope and land requirements of the main road, ensuring that road structures have the least possible impact on valuable outdoor recreation areas, natural habitats, and future development zones.

Public comment period open until Nov. 30

The meeting at Nordica was the second in a series of open meetings where the public can receive information about the development, ask questions and submit comments. The goal is to allow residents to learn about the project directly, get more detailed information, and ask specialists about the issues that matter most to them.

A total of three informational meetings about Sundabraut will be held in Reykjavík, covering the results of the environmental assessment for Sundabraut and the draft municipal plan amendments. The next meeting will be in Grafarvogur tonight. Please note the changed location – the meeting will take place at Sambíó Egilshöll, theater 1.

The environmental assessment report and draft municipal plan amendments are available in the Urban Planning Portal. Official statements or comments can be submitted until Nov. 30.

We emphasize that these are draft proposals now undergoing preliminary review, before the formal municipal plan amendment is finalized and publicly announced. The final decision on the Sundabraut route and design within the municipal plan will be based on the environmental assessment's findings, public feedback from the upcoming comment period, and further agreement between the city and the state.