Iceland plans to remove gated road from public register

Iceland’s Road and Coastal Administration plans to remove Grenjavegur in Borgarbyggð municipality from the road register because a gate has closed it to the public, mbl.is reports.

The 780-metre road leads to a privately owned plot of land. The administration says no residence or business activity is registered there. Despite the lack of public access, the road has remained on the register and been maintained at state expense.

The administration first notified Borgarbyggð of its intention to remove the road in 2023, but documents do not explain why the plan did not go ahead. The agency’s annual accounts show that the state spent just over five million on improvements to the road in 2022.

Grenjavegur is classified as a district road. Under Iceland’s road law, such roads must, among other conditions, be open to the public for free passage. The administration says the gate means the road no longer meets the requirements to be classified as a public road. Borgarbyggð said the landowners installed the gate.

The municipality’s executive council discussed the matter on October 15 and asked its manager to examine the reasons for the proposed removal, including the road’s implications for residence and business activity. The municipality has until December 31 to submit objections. If it does not, its approval will be assumed.