On Saturday, official markings for the Ring Road in East Iceland will be changed. This is done mainly in order to prevent tourists from travelling through Breiðdalsheiði during Winter.
When the change takes place, the Ring Road, more commonly known as Route 1, will go through Suðurfirðir, as opposed to Breiðdalsheiði. The Public Roads Administration hopes this will reduce the number of tourists, many of which arrive via the Norræna ferry, attempting to drive through Breiðhaldsheiði, who do so despite it being closed.
The Ring Road will henceforth go through what used to be Road number 92, from Egilsstaðir, past Reyðarfjörður, through Fáskrúðsfjörður tunnel to what was Road number 96, past Stöðvarfjörður and on to Breiðdalsvík.
Public Roads Administration staff is currently changing signs and putting up temporary ones that portray this change. Their work isn‘t expected to be finished before Saturday, although it will be in only a few days. This is expected to cost between 8-12 million ISK (Up to $114 thousand).
Route 1 was completed in 1974, connecting most of the inhabited parts of the country with a single road. Its total length is 1,332 kilometres (828 mi).
