Route 47, known locally as Hvalfjarðarvegur, winds roughly 61 kilometres around the Hvalfjörður fjord in western Iceland. Today, it is a quiet road with only occasional surges in traffic, but its story runs parallel to key shifts in Iceland’s national transportation and daily life.
Once the main artery north
For decades, Route 47 served as the only north-south connection in this region, acting as part of the legendary Ring Road, or Route 1. In that era, the fjord-hugging road was infamous for its challenging conditions. Steep bends, exposure to the elements and increasing traffic made it both important and hazardous. Full paving did not reach the entire stretch until the early 1990s. Bridges over the Botnsá and Brunná rivers were especially treacherous and often the site of serious accidents. These single-lane structures were replaced just before the opening of a new tunnel rendered the route less vital.
June 1998 marked a turning point when the Hvalfjörður Tunnel (Hvalfjarðargöng) opened, rerouting Route 1 under the fjord rather than around it. Modern travel between Reykjavík and the north became much faster. Route 47, no longer essential for cross-country journeys, entered a quieter phase.
A ribbon of lost commerce and new leisure
In its busier years, the road supported several small shops. The Botnsskáli, a store at the Botnsá bridge, closed soon after the road was improved and traffic declined, while two others (one at Miðsand and another near Ferstikla farm, at the Dragavegur intersection) saw reduced business as well. These roadside rest stops, once lively due to passing travellers, faded with the traffic.
Despite a general decline in daily usage, Route 47 has found a new role. On pleasant summer days, its scenic turns draw both residents and visitors looking for recreational drives or leisurely Sunday outings. There has been considerable investment in tourism-related facilities in Hvalfjarðarsveit, and an increasing number of people choose the nearby Kjósin area for their homes.
The road also functions as a backup. When the Hvalfjörður Tunnel closes, whether for maintenance or accidents, Route 47 briefly regains a taste of its former traffic load.
Interestingly, the number 47 once belonged to another road section near Keflavík Airport. Over the years, national road designations shifted, reflecting both the changing needs of the country and an ongoing effort to keep people moving safely across often challenging terrain.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
