Leverandørdagen - Vendor Conference 12. September

Presentations: English | Norsk

E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt advances towards realization

The development of the new E18 through Telemark is important locally and for the whole region. The new E18 will provide improved accessibility, reduced travel time and increased road safety.

3D road model showing the plan proposal

With the plan proposal for the E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt in route, Nye Veier has produced a 3D road model that illustrates the plan proposal. The plan proposal is up for administrative and political assessment in Porsgrunn and Bamble municipalities. In the further political process, there can be changes within the plan due to other solutions for optimization or additional requirements.

Plan proposal E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt

The E18 development area extends from Langangen,Telemark to Grimstad, Aust-Agder. Two of the highway infrastructure projects are under construction; E18 Tvedestrand-Arendal and E18 Rugtvedt-Dørdal. E18 Kjørholt and Bamble tunnels was completed 31.August 2018. Three projects are in the development processes, which are E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt, E18 Dørdal-Tvedestrand and E18 Arendal-Grimstad.

Before Easter, Nye Veier presented the plan proposal for the E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt route.

- Development of the new E18 through Telemark is important locally and for the whole region. The new E18 will provide improved accessibility, reduced travel time and increased road safety. Nye Veiers plan proposal for the E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt route is being processed by the municipalities. If the plan proposal is approved in Porsgrunn and Bamble municipalities before Christmas, it is realistic that we can start preparatory construction planning and construction already in a year's time" said Magne Ramlo, Nye Veier, Project Director for E18 Langangen-Grimstad.

Economic Value Creation

The project director further says that the building of the new E18 will mean a lot for economic value creation in the municipalities. From experience from the projects that are under construction now, there are a significant part of the contract that involve local and regional business in the form of shorter or longer contracts relating to machine contractors, retail trade, goods and services, etc. E18 Tvedestrand-Arendal contract, which will be completed in October 2019, have many small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and businesses that have received contracts.

A highway infrastructure in the billion-price class means that the municipality, together with the contractor, must facilitate facilities for the machinery and accommodations for all employees who will eventually work on the construction site. When the construction work starts at Porsgrunn, there are great opportunities for creating permanent jobs locally and in the Grenlands region. The agreement on transport of goods to Gunnekleiv creates a chain reaction beyond the actual construction phase and can create lasting business development. Equivalent to the development further south, the project through Porsgrunn will strengthen the development of a better regional housing and labor market.

A green project

- We believe that the highway infrastructure project will be a greener project because green space areas have been increased compared to the municipal plan from 2015. For example, at the intersection of Ås, we increase green space area with approx. 50.000 m2, by using the parts and the existing highway. This preserves important and valuable recreation areas for the residents. This principle is called ecological compensation, says Ramlo.

Socio-economic profitability

Nye Veiers implementation model is based on the most socio-economic profitability. These projects are prioritized and expanded first. In the calculations, the benefit of the road is seen in the context of the costs society has in building it. Nye Veier systematically works to increase the benefits and reduce the costs of the projects. Nye Veier has submitted a municipal plan proposal for E18 Langangen-Rugtvedt with cost savings and environmental benefits for community.

- If the regulation plan is adopted and due to other solutions and additional requirements entail increased costs, the project's socio-economic profitability could be reduced. One consequence may be that other projects in Nye Veier's portfolio will be given priority, since the project's cost budget cannot be exceeded" says Ramlo.