Original announcement · 5 October 2026
What is closed
The bridge over Hoffellsá on Hornafjarðarvegur, Road 987, is closed to all traffic for repairs. The municipality says the closure began at 13:30 on Monday 5 October and is due to end at 00:00 on Thursday 8 October.
This is the old Ring Road route. It is not a closure of the new Route 1 across Hornafjörður.
Which route should drivers use
The official direction is to use the new Route 1 across Hornafjörður while the bridge is closed. Do not try to cross the work site on Road 987. Follow signs and instructions in the area.
The road authority says the new route became the Ring Road after it opened in June. This means travellers continuing along the South Coast towards Höfn can remain on Route 1 rather than treating the closure as a break in the main road.
The Route 1 toll is paused during the closure
Hornafjörður and the road authority both state that the Route 1 toll through Hornafjörður will not be charged while Hoffellsá bridge is closed. The temporary waiver applies during the announced closure period.
Do not assume the waiver continues after the bridge reopens. If your trip falls near the end of the works, check the current official notice before driving.
Who is most affected
The change matters to drivers who planned to use Road 987, including anyone choosing the older road through the Hoffellsá area. Visitors simply following Route 1 towards Höfn should still check their navigation because an app may have saved an older route.
If you are approaching from Vík, Skaftafell or Jökulsárlón, confirm that your directions stay on Route 1 across Hornafjörður. Our Vík guide and Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón day guide provide broader corridor planning, not current road instructions.
What to do before setting out
Open official road information shortly before departure and check the closure notice again if your journey is close to the announced end time. Our Travel conditions page provides a dated road snapshot and links back to the official service.
This article explains the announced bridge works. It does not confirm road surface conditions, weather or the exact reopening time beyond the published schedule.
Sources and useful links
Read the Hornafjörður closure notice ↗
Road authority notice about the Hoffellsá bridge works ↗
The municipality notice was published on 5 October 2026 and checked on 6 October 2026 at 08:03 UTC. It gives no publication clock time. The road authority page was also read in full. The photograph is a historical Route 1 view and does not show the works or current conditions.
Use Safetravel, road information and the weather office. This dated brief is not a live warning service.