Amager gridlock leaves drivers trapped for hours in 300-meter queues

Drivers on Amager faced hours-long delays for the second consecutive day, with some reporting it took 45 minutes to travel just 300 meters, Danish broadcaster DR reported Wednesday.

Extensive roadworks—including a major expansion of the Øresund motorway—have caused severe congestion, with traffic at a standstill in multiple locations. The Liberal Party (Venstre) on Copenhagen’s city council has demanded an explanation from the city’s Climate, Technical, and Environmental Administration, calling the disruption “unreasonable.”

“There’s far too much uncoordinated roadwork happening simultaneously,” said Venstre council member Jens Kristian Lütken. “It’s unacceptable that this creates such massive traffic problems on Amager that spill over into the rest of the city.”

Jane Snog, the administration’s district chief, acknowledged the complaints but defended the projects as “necessary,” including critical infrastructure upgrades and state-mandated work. “We take this seriously and are adjusting to improve traffic flow as much as possible,” she said.

The Øresund motorway expansion, led by state-owned Sund & Bælt, will last three years, while many other roadworks are expected to wrap up within months. “There’s little we can change,” said Sund & Bælt spokesperson Jens Villemoes. “Drivers will need to adapt and plan accordingly.”