Traffic chaos, parking problems and littering are topics discussed in Geiranger this summer. Because the influx of tourists is not without problems.
Kenneth Logan runs a restaurant in the village and is one of the 200 or so who live there year-round. He is completely dependent on tourists, but also laments the traffic they bring with them.
Kenneth Loken runs a restaurant in Keeranger and is concerned that the traffic situation in the village should be addressed.
Photo: Joseph Benoni Ness Tweet / NRK
When the tourist season is at its worst, the father of the family does not dare to send the children alone to the city center by bicycle. Because there buses and motorhomes fight over space. He thinks now is the time to regulate traffic.
– I think it’s strange that someone stops here in the middle of the road and drops people off. I can’t imagine being allowed in Oslo or Ålesund, says Logan.
Geiranger is very crowded in summer.
Photo: Kåre Berge/Møre and Romsdal County Municipality
Concerned about preparedness
This week, Løken and other businesses met with the municipality, county council and emergency services.
Cars and buses are at the crossroads in Geiranger this summer.
Photo: Kåre Berge/møre and Romsdal county municipality
The purpose of the meeting was to, among other things, find better solutions to the traffic situation going forward.
The county municipality, which owns the road to Keiranger, has received several concerns this summer about buses and cars stopping at junctions.
– Our concern is that the police and emergency services are not present when needed. Because if it’s confusing, they won’t come forward either, says Corey Berge. Construction Manager in the District Roads Department.
Kåre Berge is a construction manager at the county road department in the county municipality. He has received many messages from people who felt unsafe in traffic in Geiranger this summer.
Photo: Joseph Benoni Ness Tweet / NRK
Have a parking tunnel
Although everyone we met at Jeeranger agreed that it was too crowded, it could be done Good solutions take time.
Strict measures are needed here, but the problem needs to be tackled before the next tourist season begins in a few months.
The mayor hopes they can get the parking agency and parking regulations in place before next season. He believes they should also put in place best practices for waste management.
In the long run, the mayor believes a parking tunnel should be built for both cars and buses. At the same time, he knows that getting projects approved is difficult.
The image shows how the parking tunnel looks in the approved area planning scheme.
Photo: Municipality of Stranda
Jeeranger is one UNESCO World Heritage SiteThat means the entire area is strictly protected.
– But we have to start at a tip, Trigestad believes.
Jan Ove Tryggestad is the mayor of Stranda and wants a solution to the traffic situation so that the situation is better for both residents and visitors.
Photo: Joseph Benoni Ness Tweet / NRK
– The mayor believes that the process with the mountain hall could have been done in a few years if we had been recognized by the UNESCO system.
– Do you believe something like this can be achieved in a World Heritage Site?
– I am I think this is the only possible way to avoid being left with a giranger marked by dissatisfaction.
This image shows where the municipality now thinks is most favorable for a parking tunnel. This is not an approved method in the program. The municipality is now making close clarifications with UNESCO before undertaking further work on the detailed regulation.
Photo: Municipality of Stranda
Welcome an outcome analysis
Kathryn Blomvik, director of Stiftinga Geirangerfjorden Vertsår, believes that many measures need to be taken to solve the traffic challenges in Geiranger.
She agrees that a parking tunnel could be one of them, and that it would have many positive effects for Zeeranger.
Katrin Blomvik is the director of Stiftinga Geirangerfjord Verdsarv and is concerned that many things need to be put in place to solve the traffic problem in Geiranger.
Photo: Remy Sagan / Remy Sagan
At the same time, he stresses that it is important to explore all alternatives. She thinks it is too early to predict what UNESCO will say.
– The only thing that is absolutely certain is that such measures must go through thorough impact assessments Before UNESCO and the administration come to a decision, he says.
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