Companies want to get things done.

There is strong consensus among businesses in Hellnahraun and Selhraun in Hafnarfjörður regarding improved safety and services in the area. Around 20 people attended a recent discussion meeting between the businesses and the local council, where several issues were discussed, including important safety-related projects and requests for improved snow clearance and transport services. The industrial estate is considered one of the best in Iceland today, and there are considerable opportunities for expansion. The companies are pushing for the construction of a flyover at the junction of the Reykjanesbraut and Krýsuvíkurvegur, aiming to improve the safety of their employees and customers, as well as all those who pass through the area.

A discussion meeting for representatives of the City of Hafnarfjörður with businesses in Hafnarfjörður was held at the premises of Gámaþjónustan on Wednesday, 6 January. In addition to representatives of the City of Hafnarfjörður, the meeting was attended by representatives of companies with significant interests in the area, who are concerned with safety and good service in and around the district. The need for a flyover at the junction of the Reykjanesbraut and Krýsuvíkurveg is of primary concern to the management and staff of the businesses. The businesses in the area are demanding that the construction of the flyover be prioritised before a serious accident occurs. The delay in taking action can also affect growth and further development, as interested companies have made this a prerequisite for establishing operations or relocating to the area.

An expanding industrial area with heavy traffic of large vehicles

The total number of businesses in Hellnahraun, Selhraun and on Völlunum is now 156, and it is estimated that there are at least 1,700 employees. A large proportion of the employees of these companies, the area's residents, who number almost 5,000, as well as visitors and customers who come to the area for services, use the T-junction in question, which was installed as a temporary solution while the area was being developed. At least 217,000 large lorries pass through the junction annually, or an average of 93 lorries per hour (on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.), according to figures from six major companies in the area, in addition to other traffic. Operators in the area have expressed serious concerns for the safety of their staff and want the local authorities to apply appropriate pressure before a serious accident occurs. The companies will follow up on their concerns with a letter to the Ministry of the Interior and other relevant parties. They want the completion date for the roundabout project to be brought forward to 2017, with work to begin as soon as possible in 2016.  If it is not possible to take action immediately, the companies demand that a traffic light system be installed. This would slow down traffic and increase safety, although it is clear that the only permanent solution is a roundabout. This is one of the busiest roads in the country, and traffic on it is set to increase even further in the coming months. The companies are calling on the local authority to finance the project itself, as there are precedents for this, and to lend the money to the National Road Administration for the works. The companies are even willing to lend their own funds for the project, thereby better ensuring the safety of their employees and the residents of Vallarhverfið, a residential area adjacent to the industrial estate which is home to one of the country's largest primary schools.