[IS] Roads in Iceland - Vegar á Íslandi

[Jeroen669]

Absolutely stunning pictures.

The emptyness and rough nature seem so overwhelming, even though I've seen parts of scotland which are getting relatively close to this. Would love to go to Iceland some day, if it only wouldn't be such an expensive country..

[geor]

Originally Posted by Schweden

So, this summer I'm going on a road trip to... Iceland We will drive around the whole island. Is there any particular stretch you want me to photograph?

It would be nice to take a photo at roads with geizirs background or volcanos.

[Satyricon84]

Vik - Skaftafell Road 1

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by Satyricon84

Vik - Skaftafell Road 1

I have imagined the Nr 1 road as wider.

A thought: Is it possible to drive the whole nr 1 road around iceland without expedition-like preparations ?

I mean are there any open gas stations, restaurants, motels or campings outside the Reykjavik & Aukureiri-area ?

What happends if your car brakes down at Skaftafell ?

[Schweden]

Originally Posted by NordikNerd

I have imagined the Nr 1 road as wider.

A thought: Is it possible to drive the whole nr 1 road around iceland without expedition-like preparations ?

I mean are there any open gas stations, restaurants, motels or campings outside the Reykjavik & Aukureiri-area ?

What happends if your car brakes down at Skaftafell ?

Yes, it is possible to drive around Iceland without any preparations at all. There are gas stations every 50 km or so. And if your car breaks down, don't worry, there are many cars travelling on this road. Well, at least you won't have to wait for hours.

Also, I did travel to Iceland this summer! I'm afraid I can't find the pictures taken with my real camera, however I got some photos taken with my mobile phone. These photos are however not better than any other photos out there (flickr, panoramio), so I see no point in uploading them. However, I'll be happy to answer any questions regarding the Icelandic road network.

[Ingenioren]

Originally Posted by NordikNerd

I have imagined the Nr 1 road as wider.

It's not even paved all the way...

[ChrisZwolle]

You can find Icelandic traffic volumes here:
http://www.vegagerdin.is/upplysingar...umfthjodvegum/

Note that Highway 1 on the east side of the island carries less than 500 vehicles per day in many spots, in some areas even less than 100 vehicles per day.

[Blackraven]

Interesting figures there, CZ. There were some people who were worried that the capital Reykjavik is becoming too crowded with cars. Hmm.........with the figures you posted, it looks like Iceland doesn't have to worry yet regarding vehicular overpopulation.

In short, enjoy the drive.

Oh and, wow, I think it would be great to rent a car and drive to and from and between the world-renowned Blue Lagoon spa (in Grindavik), Keflavik International Airport as well as Reykjavik (the capital).

That would be a really fun drive imho

P.S.
By the way Chris, I remember what you said 2-3 years ago.

Originally Posted by Coccodrillo

Good planification = build hospitals and stadiums near railway or metro stations (just an example).

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

Yeah let's demolish dozens of city blocks to build a hospital with 10% less parking spots

Such facilities almost always have a interregional function. It's doesn't have much use to relocate them to a transit-accessible area unless you're in a New York City-sized city. It will siphon off some traffic, but you redirect massive traffic flows towards areas with a road network not suited for heavy traffic.
I can't imagine relocating my city's hospital (5.900 employees) from the ring road to a location near the railway station. That would create uncontrollable traffic congestion.

Nice response Chris.

It's amazing that you can create good responses and counter arguments against claims made my anti-road and anti-car people.

I admire you for that and hopefully I can think of making responses and counter rebuttals whenever I encounter such people and their plans (i.e. reduce car ownership, congestion charge, road pricing, increase vehicle costs, etc etc)

IMHO
Transport is a matter of freedom of choice. You should have the right to choose whatever means you want (i.e. taxi, bus, train or any other rail-based transport, bicycle, pedicab, jeepney, tricycle, private car, motorcycle/motorbike, walk/on-foot, etc etc.)

However, I do not like those who insist on imposing restrictions on a certain mode of transport. The anti-road and anti-car extremists need to take a hike.

[Fargo Wolf]

Originally Posted by Ingenioren

It's not even paved all the way...

If this is the "ring road" around the island, then yes, it's now entirely paved and has been for a few years from what I understand. So unless there's road construction, where the pavement has been removed for some distance, stretches of gravel road would be a surprise to me. The secondary roads on the other hand are pretty well guaranteed to be gravel.

[DanielFigFoz]

Some of the photos remind me of some areas of Ireland

[Bothar.G]

Yeah they do look very similar. I can't help but notice the road markings are similar and so is the tarmac (we often dress the tarmac surface with a layer of chippings). It can be more economical when budgets are tight.

[Ingenioren]

According to this map from Vegagardin shows status of pavement in 2010 - there lacks some paved parts of Þv1 north of Djùpivogur, even if you would chose to use the longer Þv96 trough the fjords, there is a tiny stretch of dirt road unavoidable. However i don't know if this is still the case two years later:

[DanielFigFoz]

Originally Posted by Bothar.G

Yeah they do look very similar. I can't help but notice the road markings are similar and so is the tarmac (we often dress the tarmac surface with a layer of chippings). It can be more economical when budgets are tight.

, I used to associate that with Ireland but then I saw (or rather heard) that on a road in the UK

[Satyricon84]

Mosfellbaer - Pingvellir, Road N.39

[Schweden]

Originally Posted by Fargo Wolf

If this is the "ring road" around the island, then yes, it's now entirely paved and has been for a few years from what I understand. So unless there's road construction, where the pavement has been removed for some distance, stretches of gravel road would be a surprise to me. The secondary roads on the other hand are pretty well guaranteed to be gravel.

Nope, some stretches in eastern Iceland are still gravel. Most of it is paved now, anyway.

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by Blackraven

Interesting figures there, CZ. There were some people who were worried that the capital Reykjavik is becoming too crowded with cars. Hmm.........with the figures you posted, it looks like Iceland doesn't have to worry yet regarding vehicular overpopulation.

Queues in Reykjavik today, this looks crowded to me.

[kosimodo]

I am going there next week i will take some pics!

[kosimodo]

Well..

Came back after one week driving around in Iceland.. concentrated on routenumber 1. Thats the 'ringroad'

I made thousend of pic..

Here some first highlights...

And yes.. that gravelroad.. is routenumber 1











[IMG]
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/kosimodo/iceland%20route%20number%201/DSC07626_zps35b10276.jpg[/IMG]

[Suburbanist]

what is the highest altitude of route 1?

[kosimodo]

i have no idea.. not that much.. max 650m.. I will have a look on my maps