Capital's Cycling Artery Shutdown Delivers Heavy Blow, Sparks Controversy
Bicycle route in a major city's downtown shut down for more than twelve months
From June 2025 to August 2026, one of the most frequently used cycling paths in the Reykjavik metropolitan area is shut down for land conservation work)[1][2]. Those on foot and on two wheels must endure the heavy inconvenience of a much longer detour route due to this extensive closure.
The shutdown began this week and encompasses a significant section of the main cycling artery leading into Reykjavik. The disrupted path runs south from Hamraborg, passing through Hafnarfjörður, Garðabær, and Kópavogur[3]. The whole shebang is part of the transportation agreement struck by the state and the municipalities in the capital area. Post the ongoing pipeline work, Kópavogur municipality plans to build a fresh combined cycling and pedestrian route along the very same stretch[3].
No surprise – the interruption has already stirred up considerable grumbling. Erlendur Þorsteinsson, the head honcho of the Icelandic Cyclists' Federation, has received an abundance of telling complaints, particularly about the alternative route, which numerous cyclists find completely inadequate[1].
"This path sees plenty of traffic," Þorsteinsson pointed out[1]. "Detour routes for walkers and cyclists are typically a jumbled mess and poorly planned. From what I have heard - and I haven't seen any pics yet - people are left with no real way to get where they need to be without skirting nearby residential areas."
He added, though, that he hasn't received any images from the location as yet, so he can't provide a more elaborate critique of the proposed detour. But he did caution that if the alternate route isn’t suitably maintained, it could be a real pain for commuters, especially in the grueling Icelandic winter[1]:
"If neglected, foot and bike traffic might concentrate elsewhere, leading to serious safety concerns."
Thorsteinsson didn't hold back in pointing out a striking double standard in the treatment of road users during construction projects[1]:
"If this was about car traffic, they'd've whipped up a temporary road in no time."
This irritation is compounded by past memories, such as the Stekkjabakki construction project where both a road and a path were dug up. While a temporary paved road materialized for drivers, the same courtesy wasn’t extended to pedestrians and cyclists[1]. As a result, cyclists have to grapple with longer, potentially treacherous detours, intensifying anxieties about infrastructure prioritization and road user equity.
To put it bluntly, the shutdown of a major cycling path in Reykjavik has spawned suboptimal detour choices for cyclists, triggering harsh criticisms over safety and uneven treatment compared to motorists[1][2]. Cyclists are compelled to tackle a harder, possibly less safe journey, emphasizing concerns about fair infrastructure provision and prioritization. The recent hit-and-run in Reykjavik involving a cyclist who was gravely injured by an SUV sheds light on the fragility of cyclists on city streets and the importance of well-maintained, secure cycling routes[2]. Sadly, these essential route benefits are in jeopardy when a primary cycling path closes and is redirected onto a longer, presumably more challenging route[1][2].
Finance and transportation industries are being affected as the shutdown of a major cycling path in Reykjavik forces cyclists to endure suboptimal detour choices, causing safety concerns and sparking criticisms over infrastructure prioritization and road user equity. The interruption also raises questions about the finance and resources allocated to improve alternative cycling routes, particularly in the grueling Icelandic winter.
The industries of cycling, finance, and transportation are intertwined in the current controversy surrounding the shutdown of Reykjavik's cycling artery, as the inconvenient detour routes create inconvenience for cyclists and question the commitment to providing safe and well-maintained cycling infrastructure.
