The City of Reykjavík plans to lay 2.4 km [1.5 mi] of new and/or improved cycling paths in Reykjavík this summer, RÚV reports. The new lanes, which will cost an estimated ISK 530 million [$4.3 million; €3.8 million] to install, will be separated from both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
According to the announcement posted on the City of Reykjavík’s website, there will be six new paths in total. These will include:
- Along Eiðsgrandi from the Seltjarnarnes city limit to the gas station at Keilugrandi
- On Bústaðavegur between Háaleitisbraut and the bridge that crosses Kringlumýrarbraut
- Within the Elliðaárdalur Valley: from Stekkjarbakki to the path along Fagrahvammur
- Also within the Elliðaárdalur Valley: repairs to the existing path between Reykjanesbraut and Höfðabakki
- Along Geirsgata (starting at Miðbakki) between Lækjargata and Pósthæusstræti
- Within the Víðidalur Valley: new walking and cycling paths from Vallarás to where the Elliðaárdalur Valley’s trail network begins at Klapparás
The cost of the new paths will be split between the City of Reykjavík and the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, with the government putting ISK 450 million [$3.6 million; €3.2 million] towards the project and the Road and Coastal Administration contributing the remaining ISK 80 million [$647,200; €570,645].
Research shows that as the path network has improved, an increasing number of people have begun cycling in Reykjavík. There are a number of indicators of this. For one, the use of electric bikes has quadrupled in Iceland over the last year. Then there were 36,000 cycling trips counted in and around Nauthólsvík in May, which is a new record-high for Reykjavík. Before this, the highest number of cycling trips counted in the same area was 30,000 in August 2018.
