Loading The New Ölfusá Bridge…
Where the replacement for the overloaded 1945 bridge stands — construction progress, the expected 2028 opening, and what the toll will cost once it takes over.
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The 1945 bridge in the middle of town is the daily bottleneck residents have been asking to fix for years, and its replacement is now taking shape a short way upriver. This page tracks where the new Ölfusárbrú stands, what happens to the old crossing in the meantime, and what the toll will cost once the new one opens.
Still the only through-crossing in town, still free, still carrying about 15,000 vehicles a day.
Vegagerðin restricts the bridge to one heavy vehicle at a time, and at summer peaks — Golden Circle and south-coast tourist traffic funnelling straight through the centre — drivers have reported waits of up to 45 minutes. A common local tip at those peaks is to skip central Selfoss and go east via Þrengsli and the Óseyrarbrú bridge instead. This stays the situation until the new bridge opens.
Under construction since groundbreaking in November 2024; reported on schedule for autumn 2028.
The new bridge is a 330-metre crossing carrying about 3.7 km of new Ring Road east of the town centre, built to move through-traffic away from the residential core and — unlike the current bridge — designed for the area's earthquakes and river flooding. Contractor ÞG Verk has built a temporary bridge out to the island in the middle of the Ölfusá and, as of an on-site report in March 2026, is pouring the concrete piers for the permanent bridge on both riverbanks and the island. The Road Administration's project manager described the work as on schedule with nothing unexpected so far. Once it opens, the 1945 bridge stays in place as the route into central Selfoss, while through-traffic moves to the new crossing.
Proposed by Vegagerðin; only takes effect once the new bridge opens.
The new bridge won't be free like the old one. Vegagerðin's published pricing is 495 kr. per crossing for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes, with up to 50% off for a 100-trip bundle, and 800–1,700 kr. for heavier vehicles depending on weight. The current 1945 bridge stays free — the toll only applies to the new crossing, and only from the day it takes over the Ring Road.
November 2024
Groundbreaking
Construction officially began with a first-shovel ceremony.
2025
Temporary bridge built
A temporary bridge out to the island in the river went up, used to bring equipment and crews to the piers under construction.
March 2026
On schedule, foundations underway
Vegagerðin reported the project on schedule, with concrete work underway for the piers on both riverbanks and the island.
Autumn 2028
Expected opening
The published target for the new bridge and its Ring Road connection to open, moving through-traffic east of the town centre — and for tolling on the new crossing to begin.
November 2024
Groundbreaking
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