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Oslo
Friday, March 29, 2024

Traffic trauma after heavy snow

State meteorologists and police had warned against driving all over Southern Norway on Wednesday, because of forecasts for heavy snow. Many defied the warnings, though, leading to traffic trauma and accidents that forced road closures when the snow fell as predicted.

Among the closures was the main E18 highway between Drammen and Oslo. A westbound truck jack-knifed just before the Fosskoll tunnel at Leir. One motorist caught in the resulting back-up described it as “totally chaotic” and claimed the highway had been poorly plowed.

Officials responded that it was difficult to keep all roads clear with up to an expected half-meter of snow falling throughout the day. Roads were closed from Agder in the southwest to Telemark and north towards Oslo. There were also several accidents in the Oslo area Wednesday morning, with cars colliding on slick roads including the main Ring 3 near the tunnel at Bryn, in Sandvika and at Skedsmokorset in Romerike.

Most highways over the mountains between Oslo and the west coast were closed including the E134 over Haukelifjell, RV7 over Hardangervidda and RV13 over Vikafjellet.

More weather and traffic warnings were posted for Friday in both Østlandet (Eastern Norway) and Sørlandet (Southern Norway), with another 25 centimeters of snow expected. Most is due to fall in the county border areas between Sørlandet and Telemark.

NewsinEnglish.no staff

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