At 12:30 there is increasing traffic on the E16 between Sollihøgda and Hønefoss. There will be around a 30-minute delay on the stretch, according to the Swedish Road Transport Agency.
On Wednesday, a lot of congestion and traffic is expected across large parts of the country, as many leave for the Easter holiday.
– In general it went well
But it wasn’t quite that bad:
The traffic today went well, and the day went better than expected, the traffic operators conclude.
– There hasn’t been a queue, but a bit of heavy traffic, says traffic operator Mette Brunæs in the Vegtrafikksentralen east.
The same is said by traffic operator Ronny Sleire in Vegtrafikksentralen west.
– In general, it has gone well. There may be more over the course of the day, but really I think we are over the worst, he says
– There is usually a queue there
The traffic was expected to pick up the most between 12 noon and later in the afternoon, according to the Road Traffic Centre.
– The Easter traffic has been going well until now, but today the last pool will be out on the roads so we expect a lot of traffic between 12 noon and 4 pm, says traffic operator Mette Brunæs in the East Road Traffic Center to NTB at 7.30 on Wednesday morning.
At 1.30pm, the traffic has, as predicted, picked up.
– There is a queue northwards from Vangkrysset and on the E16 from Sollihøgda and northwards over Steinsletta in the direction of Hønefoss, Brunæs tells NTB.
– That’s where there is usually a queue, but otherwise it looks like the traffic is moving very smoothly on the E18 out towards Drammen, she adds.
Here there is the greatest risk of traffic jams
– If I were going out to travel today, I would probably be on the road already now or wait until early in the evening, says traffic operator Brunæs i to NTB at 7.30 on Wednesday morning.
According to the Swedish Traffic Agency, these are among the stretches where there may be challenges in connection with the Easter traffic:
- In the East: E6 Oslo–Kløfta, E16 Sandvika–Sollihøgda, E18 Oslo–Asker/Drammen in connection with the exit, and E6 Øyer–Mjøsbrua, Rv. 25 through Elverum, E16 Hønefoss/Sollihøgda–Sandvika in connection with the journey home. E134 Hokksund – Drammen is also subject to queues.
- In the south: E18 Langangenkrysset – Rugtvedtkrysset, Rv. 7 Sokna–Ve junction, E134 Rauland–Notodden.
- In the West: E16 Bergen–Voss and E39 around Bergen and Stavanger with the ferry routes Lavik–Oppedal, Halhjem-Sandvikvåg and Arsvågen–Mortavika.
- In the middle: The ferry route fv. 715 Flakk – Rørvik.
- In the north: Mountain passes that are points of departure, i.a. E6 Saltfjellet, E10 Bjørnfjell, E6 Gratangsfjellet and E6 Sennalandet, due to poor detour possibilities in the event of storms or other incidents.
On Wednesday morning, there is convoy driving on the E134 Haukelifjell. Otherwise, all the most important mountain passes are open.
This can cost you NOK 7,000
The Emergency Police (UP) are also on the roads during Easter. Group leader in UP Kristian Bergan tells Tønsbergs Blad that they will focus on speed, attention and safety.
– We will be in several places on the roads during Easter. We will mainly be at the exit years, but that does not mean that we will not be elsewhere, he tells the newspaper.
He asks people to be aware of how they pack their car. This includes, among other things, packing the heaviest things at the bottom and securing loose objects, even if they are small.
– If the car is packed too badly, we can write a report which can lead to a fine of NOK 7,000, says Bergan to the newspaper.
The police are also out checking alcohol levels in certain parts of the country. Among other things, the police in Trondheim have checked 29 drivers, where one person has been measured to have a higher blood alcohol level than is legal.
The days with the greatest chance of delay
Figures from the last two years show that Wednesday in Easter week, as well as Easter Sunday, are the days with the greatest chance of delays on the roads.
– On both days, the biggest delay is in the middle of the day, around 12–14. Are you waiting to travel until 16 on Wednesday you can probably drive without queues in most places, recommends department director Nils Karbø in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
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The police encourage people to make sure that the car is well shod for the road and to take plenty of time on the way to the cabin and Easter Mountain.
– It is important to keep a good distance on the road and take your time. If we avoid stress, we can avoid collisions, says operations manager Inge Landsrød in the South East police district to NTB.
Trafficked out of town
So far, the weather promises to be good for those who will be hitting the road during the day.
– On the main roads it is mostly bare and wet, but there can be some slippery sections. Nevertheless, it looks like the route is quite good, says traffic operator Brunæs.
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She says the most traffic is expected on the major exit roads E6 north towards Lillehammer from Oslo, Sollihøgda and Hønefoss and on the E18 towards Drammen.
– It’s because people are going to the mountains, she says.
Still winter weather
Although spring is beginning to show its first signs around Norway, it is important to remember that it is still winter in many places, emphasizes the National Road Administration.
– Although there are bare and dry roads in low-lying areas, there is often snow and winter snow on mountain passes and in higher areas, says Karbø and adds:
– Wait until after Easter to change the tyres, make sure the car has a full tank or a full battery and bring extra clothes, food and drink. This is particularly important if you are going over the mountain.
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