20 May 2025Footbridge over Sæbraut installed
Footbridge over Sæbraut installed
A new pedestrian- and cycling bridge was hoisted in place above Sæbraut between two raised stairways connecting Dugguvogur and Snekkjuvogur. The weather was as good as it could have been, as the project would have suffered delays if the wind speed were to have exceeded 5m/s. Roughly 20 people had a hand in the project’s execution, which proceeded without any issues arising. The bridge is expected to open for public use around mid-June. Also installed on both sides of the bridge were new bars indicating the maximum height permitted to pass under the footbridge.
The bridge is roughly 28 meters long and weighs around 30 tons. It will be in use until construction on the enclosing of Sæbraut begins, when the bridge will be disassembled to be raised up again in an area unaffected by the construction. The bridge was transported from Ístak by Esjumelar with a police escort. A portion of Sæbraut needed to be closed to traffic whilst the work to hoist the bridge was undertaken.
Traffic safety greatly increased
The bridge is intended to greatly improve traffic safety for pedestrians travelling between the new Vogabyggð and Vogahverfi — not the least for schoolchildren in Vogaskóli — as it is situated roughly at the midpoint between two of Sæbraut’s intersections with Súðarvogur and Kleppsmýrarvegur respectively. The construction of this bridge opens up a new footpath between Dugguvogur by Tranavogur, and Snekkjuvogur.
Work resumes on the stairwells
Now that the bridge is in place, work on the bridge’s stairwell accesses continues. What remains to be completed is the connection between stairwells and the bridge, lighting and surveillance systems need to be installed, finishing touches need to be applied to the soil outside the stairwells, and the pedestrian- and cycling paths need to be paved. Finally, elevators will be installed on both ends of the bridge in the next few weeks.
New height limits
With the emergence of this new bridge, new height limits will need to be imposed on Sæbraut between Skeiðarvogur and Súðarvogur. The following height limits will now be implemented on this part of Sæbraut:
- Elevation of bar indicating height limit is now 4.8 m
- Elevation of road signs will be 5.5 m
- As per regulation, the maximum height of vehicles is 4.2 m (-4.4 m)
The IRCA kindly asks contractors and transportation agencies to make their employees aware of the new height limits. The drivers of larger vehicles are encouraged to do all they can — lower raised truck beds, secure vehicle-operated cranes, etc. — to ensure that accidents that might occur due to new height limits do not happen.
This operation is a cooperative endeavour between the IRCA, The City of Reykjavík and Betri Samgöngur. It is financed by the Transportation Agreement.
The IRCA has chief oversight of the project on behalf of stakeholders.
The process of hoisting the bridge went smoothly.
The bridge weighs roughly 30 tons.
The bridge is designed to enhance traffic safety.
Roughly 20 individuals had a hand in the project.
The bridge is roughly 28 m long, and weighs about 30 tons.
Road sign foundations have been installed.