Sunda­braut

Sundabraut is a new main road connecting Sæbraut to Vesturlandsvegur in Kjalarnes.
The total length of the new route will be around 11 kilometers, depending on the final design option.

As a new road link, Sundabraut will increase the number of escape routes within the capital area and improve access for emergency services. Two alignment options are currently being considered from Sæbraut across Grafarvogur — either a tunnel or a bridge over Kleppsvík. From the northern side of Grafarvogur, one route continues northward.

In total, three bridges are planned between Grafarvogur and Kjalarnes:

• a bridge over Eiðsvík to Geldinganes,

• a bridge to Gunnunes at Blikastaðakró and the mouth of Leiruvogur

• a bridge in Kollafjörður connecting to Vesturlandsvegur.

The preparation is based on a joint statement issued by the Mayor and the Minister of Infrastructure in 2021 regarding the preparation of Sundabraut.
Sundabraut is included in the coalition agreement (2024) of the government led by Kristrún Frostadóttir, and it was also part of the coalition agreement of the previous government (2021).
Likewise, Sundabraut is included in the City Council’s cooperation agreement of the current majority from 2025, as it was in the cooperation agreement of the previous majority from 2022.

Work is currently underway on the first stage of the design, which will form the basis for the tendering process. Once this phase is completed, cost estimates and a business plan will be prepared. The total cost will depend on which design option is selected for implementation, but it is expected to exceed one hundred billion ISK.

It is planned that Sundabraut will be fully financed through tolls collected from vehicle traffic once the road opens.
The proposed tolls are intended to cover the costs of the project’s preparation and construction, as well as the maintenance, operation, and repayment of its financing.

According to the current cost estimate, constructing Sundabraut as a tunnel across Kleppsvík would be up to 25 billion ISK more expensive than a bridge, depending on the bridge design

It is hoped that an agreement with the contractor will be finalized in 2027, after which construction preparations will begin.
The estimated construction period is five years

Tunnels are a more time-consuming construction option, partly because of the installation of essential safety and technical systems after excavation is completed.
If a tunnel is selected, construction is expected to take about two years longer than for a bridge.

Work on connecting roads and intersections will proceed in parallel, so in all cases the total construction period is estimated at around five years.

Tunnels require extensive geological surveys, blasting operations, and ventilation systems — elements that bridge options do not require — and therefore excavation and finishing work would continue throughout the entire construction period.

Yes, the bridge will be visible, and a higher bridge (30 m) will have considerable visual impact, especially when viewed across Kleppsvík from Gufunes and Grafarvogur. The state and the City of Reykjavík have agreed to hold a design competition for the bridge over Kleppsvík, should that route be chosen.

No, at the preparatory stage only very simple design concepts have been used for reference, but later, once a decision on the route has been made, an international design competition for the bridge’s design is planned.

During construction, efforts will be made to minimize the project’s footprint and land use in order to reduce impacts on valuable outdoor recreation and natural areas. The tunnels will not affect recreational areas. The Sundabridge will have some impact, as certain open spaces in Gufunes will be used for new infrastructure and noise levels will increase near the road. However, access for pedestrians and cyclists between neighborhoods will improve, and safe, convenient access to open areas will be ensured through paths and underpasses.

A lower bridge (12 m) would block passage for larger vessels and therefore affect part of the freight operations currently taking place in Sundahöfn. A higher bridge (30 m) would allow cargo and fishing vessels to pass, based on current conditions. Larger container ships (over 30 m), such as those operated by Samskip and Eimskip, would in both cases need to dock outside the bridge.

Studies have shown little gas emission from the Gufunes landfill. Further investigations on gas emissions and pollution from the site are planned. If it is found that building a road over the landfill poses a risk to people or structures, it will be possible to use lightweight embankments or adjust the road alignment to bypass the landfill area.

Air quality along Sæbraut is expected to remain close to permissible limits by 2040. During the construction period, increased dust and emissions can be expected. Air quality will be monitored, and mitigation measures—such as dust control and regulated construction traffic—will help reduce the impact during construction.

That depends on which solution is chosen. The bridge would include walking and cycling paths across Kleppsvík, greatly improving connections between neighborhoods. The tunnel, however, cannot be used by pedestrians or cyclists.

Yes, but the bridge option supports public transport better than the tunnel. The bridge provides a stronger connection to Grafarvogur and the harbor area, and offers shorter travel times between locations across the capital region.

Yes, during the construction period, bus routes and stops will be adjusted in consultation with Strætó. This may temporarily affect accessibility.

The travel time between Akranes and Sæbraut at Holtavegur in Reykjavík is currently 37 minutes, according to real-time data from TomTom. With a speed limit of 80 km/h on Sundabraut, trips on this route would be shortened by an average of 12 minutes, and the distance reduced by about 9 km.

There are instances where currents under bridge openings can pose a risk to kayakers. The project developer will carry out a risk assessment to ensure the safety of all seafarers, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding everyone on the water.

A detailed analysis will be carried out on the impact of the road construction on the noise environment, and mitigation measures—such as noise barriers and other solutions—will be implemented where appropriate. During the construction period, some noise impacts can be expected, but steps will be taken to minimize them.

Yes, there will be some impact on protected areas and birdlife, such as in Leiruvogur and Blikastaðakró. However, mitigation measures will be implemented to minimize these effects. These include monitoring, education, and designing infrastructure with consideration for bird habitats.

The planned route of Sundabraut through Álfsnes and Gufunes has been designed to minimize disturbance to archaeological sites as much as possible. Cultural and archaeological heritage within the project area has been documented, and it is prohibited to disturb these sites without permission from the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland. Mitigation measures are planned where applicable, including special monitoring, excavation and research at specific locations where disturbance cannot be avoided, as well as educational signage to be installed in Gufunes and other areas.