– Over 40 years there has been almost no improvement! Now I don’t bother driving on Fridays and Sundays any more. It is completely out of the question, says Nelvik to Dagbladet.
He has had a cottage in Hemsedal for almost 40 years. Under normal conditions, he spends about three and a half hours all the way from Oslo. But it belongs to the rarities.
– It is not unusual to spend more than six hours on that stretch, claims the Se og Hør veteran.
Hans Salomon was robbed of everything: – Trembling
Russian roulette
Nelvik likes to spend time in what he describes as “comfortable” surroundings at Hemsedal.
Despite the fact that the time at the cabin is used for relaxing activities, the road up through Riksvei 7 is anything but pleasant. Nor convenient, according to Nelvik.
He believes the stretch of road is reminiscent of “Russian roulette”.
– After all the years on the road, I have really been involved in most things: Trailers standing in the middle of the road, tragic road accidents and horrible driving, to name a few, he says and adds:
– Embarking on this path is a bit like playing Russian roulette.
– Even worse
He clarifies that the road has been improved somewhat in recent years, but that the improvements still seem incoherent, “planless” and “without purpose”.
The enormous development of cabins in Hallingdal has contributed to many more vehicles on the roads. Considering the increased traffic, he himself feels that the road has become even worse than it was a decade or two ago.
– Admittedly, they have patched together “new” sections of a few hundred metres, and in other places of a couple of kilometres. I don’t understand how it can be socially responsible, he says in frustration.
– In my mind, it makes absolutely no sense to engage in all this “cluttering”. It is even worse now than several decades ago, if you also take into account the skyrocketing traffic.
Greeted by the sight of shock
– Poor people
Odd Nelvik’s everyday life largely consists of running his self-owned distillery, and the days are managed under his own command. He therefore has the opportunity to go outside the rush hour at times when he normally avoids queues.
If he had not already been in possession of the cabin, he is unsure whether Hemsedal would have been considered for new acquisition.
– Considering the road, I would probably consider finding something closer, he says.
After a long time on the road, he knows very well how challenging the popular exit route is. To the cabin people who go up on Friday, and down again on Sunday, he speaks clearly:
– I really feel sorry for you! I truly feel sorry for the poor people who have so little time at their disposal. Sitting in the queue is absolutely hellish, he emphasizes.
Opposite trend
In an e-mail to Dagbladet, the Norwegian Road Administration writes that it is difficult to say anything about how National Highway 7 ranks compared to other national roads in terms of accident statistics.
NOT POPULAR: Highway 7 is not popular with Odd Johan Nelvik. Photo: NTB
sea view
However, they state that both National Highway 7 and National Highway 52 are roads that pass mountain passes in winter with a high proportion of heavy traffic.
Although Nelvik compares the condition of the road to playing Russian roulette, figures Dagbladet has received from the National Road Administration show a decreasing trend in the number of accidents over the past 20 years on National Highway 7 from Hønefoss to Gol.
A complete overview can be seen in the illustration below.
ACCIDENTS ON HIGHWAY 7: The illustration shows the development of accidents to varying degrees on Highway 7 from Hønefoss to Gol in the period 2002 to 2022. Photo: Statens Vegvesen.
sea view
In 2021, one person was seriously injured on the stretch, and four people were slightly injured. In 2002, the figures were respectively ten seriously injured, and a total of 24 slightly injured.
Never experienced anything like it
Friday and Sunday lose
According to the summary report to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Nelvik is probably making a good choice by excluding the exit on Fridays and Sundays.
The hourly live traffic can be seen at State Highways Authority.
In the submitted report for the respective section, it appears that Fridays and Sundays stand out as the days with the least pleasant statistics.
Through the 20-year perspective, it is made clear that Sunday is the day with by far the most accidents. Of a total of 209 personal injury accidents, Sundays account for 45 of these, compared to 19 on Wednesdays. This corresponds to a difference of 137 percent.
BAD DAYS: On the stretch RV7 Hønefoss – Gol, Friday and Sunday are days you would prefer to avoid; if one were to look blindly at the accident statistics. Photo: Norwegian Road Administration
sea view
Getting better
Where Nelvik refers to a consistent “flattening” on parts of the stretch, the Norwegian Road Administration clarifies that these are so-called “investment measures.” This includes, among other things, central traction in sharp curves and width expansion for wider markings.
– With the exception of road changes in the new route, these are mainly measures to improve traffic safety on the existing road – particularly collision accidents, the Division for Operation and Maintenance states in an e-mail to Dagbladet.
In the national transport plan (NTP) for 2022 to 2033, close to 70 kilometers of National Highway 7 are to be improved from Ørgenvika to Svenkerud near Nesbyen.
– Significant improvements on the stretch have been prioritized. It will provide a better and more traffic-safe road. In an improvement section, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration will make various forms of improvements on existing roads to make them safer and better, it says in the press release for NTP when it was presented in 2021.
– The cost estimates for the measures are NOK 800 million. Priority has been given to starting construction with a government contribution of NOK 500 million in the first six-year period, it was presented in the same press release.
