New roads to shorten route to Iceland’s Westfjords

Road construction and fjord crossings in Gufudalssveit are expected to transform transport in Iceland’s Westfjords, mbl.is reports. The projects will shorten the southern route between Ísafjörður and Reykjavík by 20 kilometres and are scheduled for completion in October 2028.

“The change brought by the road improvements now under way will be enormous and almost revolutionary,” says Eyþór Guðmundsson, a truck driver familiar with routes in the Westfjords. “It is remarkable to think that narrow, poorly built gravel roads through mountains and along shores are still in use in 2026. Modern times are approaching.”

The improved roads are expected to make transport easier, supporting businesses that depend on moving seafood and other goods. Better roads could also encourage more tourists to visit the region.

Bridges and difficult roads

The transport improvements are being carried out in stages. A bridge over Þorskafjörður was built several years ago, followed by a road through Teigsskógur. Beyond that road are Djúpifjörður and Gufufjörður, which are now being crossed by new road links.

Until the work is completed, drivers continue along the existing route into Djúpifjörður and out on the other side. The road then climbs Ódrjúgsháls, with sections rising at an incline of about 15 degrees. On the western side of the pass are two sharp U-turns, as well as rocky corners and other obstacles.

Norwegian contractor Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner, known as LNS, is carrying out the work. The project includes a 58-metre bridge over Djúpifjörður near Grónes and a 130-metre bridge over Gufufjörður. It also includes demolishing the existing 119-metre temporary bridge over Gufufjörður, transporting materials and building rock protection.

Two bridges will cross Gufufjörður. One will be a conventional bridge of just under 60 metres, while the other will be a 250-metre steel arch bridge. It will be similar to bridges over Mjóifjörður in Ísafjarðardjúp and the Eldvatn river in Skaftártunga, but longer and higher.

Tenders for the steel arch bridge are due to be opened in early September. Once all the work is finished, the direct and wider road between Reykjavík and the Westfjords will be open, reducing the distance between Reykjavík and Ísafjörður to about 400 kilometres.

Strict schedules for freight drivers

Guðmundsson frequently drives in the Westfjords, operating Eimskip’s Patreksfjörður truck. He leaves Reykjavík, drives west the following day and returns south the day after that, arriving at his destinations late in the evening according to a strict schedule.

Fish from the Westfjords must reach buyers in the south, while food and other goods must be delivered to shops in the region. Guðmundsson says reliable roads are essential to maintaining those supply lines.

He says drivers must treat the Westfjords’ roads with caution. In winter conditions, he sometimes puts chains on his large Volvo box truck before tackling the steepest slopes and adjusts the load to suit the conditions. He says he has not experienced a serious accident during his seven years on the route, but that removing Ódrjúgsháls would make a significant difference.

After Gufufjörður, the route continues towards Skálanes and along the long Kollafjörður before climbing Klettsháls.