The newly approved transportation plan is, to say the least, a major disappointment for East Iceland. Once again, the region's most important transportation improvements appear to be moving down the list of priorities while other regions of the country continue to have their projects included in the implementation plans.
The most obvious example is the Suðurfjarðavegur. When the Fáskrúðsfjarðar tunnel was opened in 2005, it was assumed that the development of the Suðurfjarðavegur would follow. Now more than twenty years have passed and according to the latest estimates, the entire project could not be completed until about 35 years after the tunnel opened. It amazes me to understand how this can be considered acceptable.
The Southfjords Road is not a pet project. It is the lifeblood of East Iceland. This is the route:
- Children's daily school transportation
- A value of billions of ISK each year in the form of seafood products
- Industrial production and other exports
These assets generate income for the municipalities in East Iceland and for Icelandic society as a whole.
It is therefore absurd that in 2026 there is still discussion about whether and when to complete the project that was supposed to follow the Fáskrúðsfjörður tunnel in 2005. If current plans hold, the project will not be completed until about 35 years after the tunnel opened. This speaks volumes about the priority that the East has received from the state.
While the government is delaying the Suðurfjörður Road, residents of the Suðurfjörður East continue to drive the same dangerous routes and companies continue to transport billions of krónur worth of goods through a road system that should have been improved long ago. It is simply not acceptable.
We are not asking for any special treatment. We are asking for the Eastfjords to be given comparable priority to other parts of the country. When the same project has been discussed for decades without being completed, the question naturally arises whether the Eastfjords is simply not too far behind the agenda of those in power.
It also raises questions that the Eastfjords should have a representative in the Althingi who is in government, yet we see little or no real progress on the region's biggest transportation issues. The Eastfjords have the right to have their voices heard more clearly when decisions are made about infrastructure development and financial priorities.
East Iceland and especially Fjarðabyggð has shown time and again that it is one of the strongest export and value creation centers in the country. This should be reflected in the government's investment in the region's infrastructure.
East Iceland and especially Fjarðabyggð We must not lag behind. Now is the time to follow up our words with actions.
The author is a deputy mayor for the Independence Party in Fjarðabyggð