Mountain guides and conservationists are up in arms over a new road and drain in Landmannalaugar highald oasis. The road, which crosses a small river which now runs through a drain under the road, does not appear to have received approval by the Icelandic Environment Agency, and runs counter to the approved master plan for the region. The chairman of the Iceland Touring Association, which operates the campgrounds and huts in Landmannalaugar, the new road must be removed.
An unauthorized project
The local newspaper Fréttablaðið reports that the road was built by a contractor working for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, IRCA. However, the IRCA appears to have failed to realize any major work or expansion of the roads in Landmannalaugar require prior approval by the Icelandic Environment Agency IEA. A spokesman for the IEA told Fréttablaðið that the IRCA had been in contact with the agency regarding the road, but that they had never submitted the planned road for approval.
Páll Guðmundsson, the chairman of the Touring Association said the IRCA did not contact anyone prior to showing up with bulldozers and a road crew. To his knowledge nobody had requested the road. The association contacted the IRCA could offer no convincing justification for the road, other than cars having gotten stuck or dirty while crossing the river.
Potentially dangerous
Páll argues the new road creates a second problem, as it might encourage travellers driving small vehicles to try to drive into Landmannalaugar. Prior to getting to Laugalækur travellers must first cross Námakvísl river, which can be a dangerous obstacle. Páll points out that the new road can be seen from the crossing over Námakvísl, and can give drivers a false sense of security, luring them to try to cross the river when it might be impassable.
Small rental cars can flood the area
The road in question crosses a small shallow river, Laugalækur, which runs out of Landmannalaugar. Prior to crossing Laugalækur travellers first have to cross another unbridged river, Námakvísl, which poses a serious obstacle to smaller cars.
According to the long-term master plan for the region Landmannalaugar is to be cleared of all structures, and the parking lots moved to restore the sense of untouched wilderness in the area. Páll Guðmundsson argues the road is part of a larger pattern:
All other construction in the area has been banned, but then they show up, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, with this massive construction project, which seems to have bypassed all proper channels. They are improving access by ensuring that people driving small rental cars can flood the area.
Mountain guides and conservationists are up in arms over a new road and drain in Landmannalaugar highald oasis. The road, which crosses a small river which now runs through a drain under the road, does not appear to have received approval by the Icelandic Environment Agency, and runs counter to the approved master plan for the region. The chairman of the Iceland Touring Association, which operates the campgrounds and huts in Landmannalaugar, the new road must be removed.
An unauthorized project
The local newspaper Fréttablaðið reports that the road was built by a contractor working for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, IRCA. However, the IRCA appears to have failed to realize any major work or expansion of the roads in Landmannalaugar require prior approval by the Icelandic Environment Agency IEA. A spokesman for the IEA told Fréttablaðið that the IRCA had been in contact with the agency regarding the road, but that they had never submitted the planned road for approval.
Páll Guðmundsson, the chairman of the Touring Association said the IRCA did not contact anyone prior to showing up with bulldozers and a road crew. To his knowledge nobody had requested the road. The association contacted the IRCA could offer no convincing justification for the road, other than cars having gotten stuck or dirty while crossing the river.
Potentially dangerous
Páll argues the new road creates a second problem, as it might encourage travellers driving small vehicles to try to drive into Landmannalaugar. Prior to getting to Laugalækur travellers must first cross Námakvísl river, which can be a dangerous obstacle. Páll points out that the new road can be seen from the crossing over Námakvísl, and can give drivers a false sense of security, luring them to try to cross the river when it might be impassable.
Small rental cars can flood the area
The road in question crosses a small shallow river, Laugalækur, which runs out of Landmannalaugar. Prior to crossing Laugalækur travellers first have to cross another unbridged river, Námakvísl, which poses a serious obstacle to smaller cars.
According to the long-term master plan for the region Landmannalaugar is to be cleared of all structures, and the parking lots moved to restore the sense of untouched wilderness in the area. Páll Guðmundsson argues the road is part of a larger pattern:
All other construction in the area has been banned, but then they show up, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, with this massive construction project, which seems to have bypassed all proper channels. They are improving access by ensuring that people driving small rental cars can flood the area.
