On this occasion – Information about the Fjardeheida tunnel

The Fjarðarheiði tunnels are one of the most important transport projects in East Iceland. The safety of road users is a primary reason for the project, alongside ensuring access to essential healthcare services throughout the year. With the construction of the tunnels, a safe and reliable route will be secured between Seyðisfjörður and Fljótsdalshérað all year round, providing a reliable, safe, and necessary transportation route within the municipality and to Europe. Such large-scale transport improvements also have direct effects on community development and employment, increasing the opportunities for residents in education and work, strengthening tourism, and creating more reliable foundations for future development in the area. The tunnels will thus be an important support for enhancing settlement and economic life throughout East Iceland.

East Iceland Ring Connection

The Fjarðarheiði tunnels are the first phase in the ring connection of East Iceland, a tunnel connection that the Association of Municipalities in East Iceland has called for for many years, and since 2013, the claims of the SSA have been clear and consistent that the next tunnels in East Iceland should be the Fjarðarheiði tunnels. It is with the confirmation of the regional planning of East Iceland at the beginning of this electoral term that the will of all the municipalities in East Iceland is further reinforced.

Carefully Considered Decision

In 2011, the report "Fjarðarheiði tunnels – Investigation of potential portal areas and other aspects" was published, produced for the Road Administration. The report states that ideas had previously been put forward for tunnels from Hérað down to Mjóafjörður. However, they were not deemed a viable option compared to the Fjarðarheiði tunnels due to the fact that such tunnels would not connect to Seyðisfjörður. The position was therefore that tunnels to Mjóafjörður were considered as an idea but were excluded from further examination due to low traffic and lack of connections to key ports and transport. The report discusses several tunnel possibilities, but the conclusion is that tunnels under Fjarðarheiði between Seyðisfjörður and Egilsstaðir are the best option.

It was then in 2017 that the then Minister of Transport and Local Government appointed a project group to prepare for decision-making regarding the Seyðisfjörður tunnels, and subsequently, the report "Seyðisfjörður tunnels - Options and impacts on East Iceland" was published. The aim of the project was to prepare a decision on transport improvements that would best break the winter isolation of Seyðisfjörður, strengthen the settlement and economy in Seyðisfjörður and throughout East Iceland. The conclusion and outcome of the group states:

It is the project group's assessment that in light of the benefits to the community and economy in Seyðisfjörður and East Iceland as a whole, it is most beneficial to follow the opinion of the Althingi, the Association of Municipalities in East Iceland, and the majority of the residents and representatives of businesses and the community in the area, and to break the isolation of Seyðisfjörður with tunnels under Fjarðarheiði as the first phase and strengthen the community throughout East Iceland with tunnels between Seyðisfjörður and Norðfjörður in the second phase. The group places significant emphasis on the need for a decision on transport improvements with a ring connection to be made as soon as possible and that work begin as soon as possible so that the positive effects on community and economic development do not come too late.

The Althingi Has Repeatedly Approved the Construction of the Fjarðarheiði Tunnels

In the transport plan 2011-2022, which was approved by the Althingi on June 19, 2012, the following was stated:

Tunnel plan: It is aimed that research and preparation for the Seyðisfjörður tunnels will be conducted in such a way that construction of the tunnels under Fjarðarheiði can begin after the Norðfjörður tunnels and the Dýrafjörður tunnels.

The current transport plan 2020-2034 states that following the Fjarðarheiði tunnels, tunnels from Seyðisfjörður to Mjóafjörður (Seyðisfjörður tunnels) and from there over to Norðfjörður (Mjóafjörður tunnels) are to be constructed. The so-called ring connection of East Iceland. The ring connection of East Iceland was the subject of discussion for the majority of the Environment and Transport Committee in the Althingi in 2020, and they stated in their opinion:

The only project in the plan is the tunnels in East Iceland. The majority emphasizes that tunnel construction in East Iceland does not yield full benefits unless the project is worked on as a continuous whole that provides the ring connection of roads in the region. Therefore, the second phase, tunnels between Seyðisfjörður and Norðfjörður, must follow after the Fjarðarheiði tunnels. Indeed, work on the tunnels between Seyðisfjörður and Norðfjörður could begin before work on the Fjarðarheiði tunnels is fully completed. The majority thus emphasizes that research and preparation for the ring connection should be completed as soon as possible so that construction can begin as soon as funding is available.

No Other Route over Fjarðarheiði

The website of the Road Administration states that the current Seyðisfjörður road does not meet the safety requirements of the Road Administration in terms of width and maximum gradient of the main road. Due to the steepness and frequent closures in the winter, it is not feasible to rebuild the existing road over Fjarðarheiði.

The Fjarðarheiði tunnels are fully designed by the Road Administration and Múlaþing has confirmed changes to the planning in accordance with the design. The tunnels are fully designed and about 600 million have already been spent on that work.

Breaking the Deadlock

Dear Minister of Transport Eyjólfur Ármansson, I urge you to break the stop in tunnel construction and tender the Fjarðarheiði tunnels, as they are the only tunnels that can have work commenced on this electoral term. Dear government, I demand that you stand by your big promises, promises that among other things the Prime Minister made in the election program on RÚV.

Let’s get on with the tunnels!

Jónína Brynjólfsdóttir, chair of the local government of Seyðisfjörður and president of the municipal council of Múlaþing.

The article was first published on visir.is on November 18, 2025.