The construction of the first phase of Reykjavík’s rapid bus transit line Borgarlína has been pushed back by a year. According to the updated schedule, the first section of the line will be operational in 2026, not 2025 as previously expected. Davíð Þorláksson, the CEO of Transport for the Capital Area (Betri samgöngur) says various factors have caused the delay.
“As the project advances, the variables decrease, and the plan becomes more precise,” Davíð told RÚV. “Now the timetable for the first phase is being updated. The line from Hamraborg to downtown Reykjavík will be delayed by one year.”
The Borgarlína project is technically complex, Davíð says, and adds that the initial timeline for the rapid transit service was unrealistic, as it did not take into account other construction projects in the capital area. “We need to coordinate this with for example the construction of the tunnels under Miklabraut and Sæbraut and so on. So, there are many things that are causing the timeline to change.”
A notice on the Transport for the Capital Area website states that COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine have also delayed the project’s first phase.
Borgarlína aims to upgrade sections of existing road infrastructure with long stretches of dedicated public transport lanes. It is spearheaded by the city of Reykjavík, in co-operation with surrounding municipalities including Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur, and Mosfellsbær. Borgarlína lanes will be exclusively for public transportation vehicles (and emergency services).
The first phase of Borgarlína also includes the construction of a bridge over Fossvogur bay. The bridge will be exclusively dedicated to public transport vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
