Road surface deterioration reported in Öxnadal, Iceland

Significant issues with road surface deterioration have been reported in Öxnadal recently, with incidents where loose materials wrapped around the tires of vehicles. The head of the infrastructure department has indicated that resurfacing with asphalt would be more appropriate for this road section, though funding is lacking.

A frequent traveler on the road expressed concern, stating that proper measures are overdue to prevent potential accidents. Last week, loose surface material got tangled around his car’s tires, and he feels fortunate that the outcome was not worse.

Haraldur Sigurðarson, who regularly commutes between Akureyri and Reykjavik, described the road condition as hazardous, emphasizing that it was far beyond a mere case of surface issue. He likened the experience to driving a poorly designed trailer, noting how abruptly he lost control of his vehicle due to the road’s instability.

He highlighted the importance of remaining calm in such dangerous situations, attributing his ability to stay composed to his driving experience.

Haraldur criticized the lack of adequate warnings regarding the road conditions, stating that aside from the information available in the road administration app, no other alerts were provided. He suggested the road should have been closed instead of merely issuing a warning through an app.

The head of the infrastructure department acknowledged the difficulty of pinpointing when these surface issues arise. He urged the public to report any related damages and to consider alternative routes when possible. He attributed the frequent deterioration to a combination of weather conditions, heavy traffic, and the current surface layer’s inadequacies, expressing a need for asphalt in place of the existing material due to insufficient funding.