Then the first stage of the bypass opens to traffic

One of Sweden's largest infrastructure projects reaches an important milestone when a section of the Stockholm Bypass opens to traffic later this year - and now there is an exact date. The Swedish Transport Administration announces that the four kilometer long stage between Hjulsta in northwest Stockholm and Häggvik in Sollentuna will be put into operation on 6 December.

- It feels very good to be able to open the section. There will be a small opening and then we will gradually open the section, says Camilla Magnusson, the Swedish Transport Agency's project manager.

The inauguration of the new tunnel connection is a process in several parts that began already in the autumn with the Bypass premiere. On 2 October, thousands of school children from Stockholm, Järfälla and Sollentuna had the opportunity to walk the route when they ran a four kilometer race. The next day, Saturday 3 October, 34,000 people took part in the running party held in the Bypass tunnels between Hjulsta and Häggvik.

- We have made the inauguration like a three-stage rocket. This weekend we had the public opening, first with schools and then with these happy exercisers in Saturday's race, says Camilla Magnusson.

The last part of the inauguration of the section in December will take place on a small scale with, among others, politicians and representatives of companies in the affected areas.

Traffic will then be released during the morning on Sunday, December 6.

- What you are always worried about is that there will be traffic chaos, so it will be a controlled process and traffic will be released in batches, says Camilla Magnusson.

The decision to open the current section four years earlier than originally planned became known two years ago, in July 2024. The economic benefit to society is estimated at SEK 170–180 million annually, and approximately 20,000 vehicles will pass in each direction per day, according to the Swedish Transport Administration's forecast. The new route will therefore relieve other nearby roads between E18 and E4.

- It will be a complement to Kymlingelänken and Rotebroleden, if there is a lot of traffic on either of them, says Camilla Magnusson.

The inauguration of the section takes place ten years after the physical work on the enormous infrastructure project began. In 2016, the first blasts for the working tunnels took place.

The plan is that the entire Förbifart Stockholm can be put into operation by 2030. The total route is 21 kilometers long and connects Kungens Kurva in the south with Häggvik in Sollentuna in the north. The main part of the trail runs in tunnels under Kungshatt and Lovön in Mälaren.

The project has previously created headlines through runaway costs. At the beginning of 2024, it was announced that the project was estimated to be another 12 billion more expensive and land at 53.5 billion kroner. Now the sum has gone up further as a result of, among other things, inflation.

- Calculated at the price level in 2025, we expect roughly SEK 58 billion, says Camilla Magnusson.