Iceland’s Minister of Infrastructure, Eyjólfur Ármannsson, unveiled the national transport plan through 2040 during a press conference today, along with a five-year implementation schedule. The announcement brings long-awaited confirmation for residents of North Iceland: a new bridge over the Skjálfandafljót river will finally be built between 2026 and 2030, with full funding already secured. The Icelandic Road Administration has previously estimated that the new bridge and updated roadway would be completed by autumn 2028.
The main link between Húsavík and Akureyri currently relies on a 90-year-old single-lane bridge at Útkinn, which carried roughly 650 vehicles per day before being closed for heavy traffic in 2023. Local governments in Norðurþing and Þingeyjarsveit have for years called for its replacement, stressing that it is one of the region’s most essential transport arteries.
The minister also confirmed that the national government will allocate 21 billion ISK to the harbor improvement fund from 2026 to 2040, with smaller ports—crucial for safety and economic development—receiving increased support. “We will build a new breakwater in Húsavík,” Eyjólfur stated, marking the town’s most significant harbor construction project in decades and an important step for strengthening maritime infrastructure in the region.
