Laugarvegur to Close for Longer this Summer

Reykjavík’s main thoroughfare will be closed to car traffic again this summer – but for a longer stretch than before.

MBL reports that, as has been the case three summers previous, Laugavegur will be closed to car traffic. This year, however, the project will continue for much longer: only bicycle and foot traffic will be permitted for much of Laugavegur from June 17 (Iceland’s Independence Day) until September 1.

Closing the street to car traffic for part of the summer began in 2011. At that time, the closure only lasted from July 1 to August 1.

Most merchants on the street have been happy with the idea, saying that it has encouraged an increase in walk-ins at their stores. Some merchants, though, expressed dissatisfaction with the idea, namely in terms of how it affects parking. Should this year’s street closing cover the same area in years previous – that is, between Skólavörðustígur and Vatnsstígur – this will, though, only mean the loss of 17 parking spaces.