A major rockslide has completely blocked both directions of the E6 highway in Rosten in the Gudbrandsdalen region of Norway, according to reports. The landslide occurred overnight between March 30 and 31, with rockfall plummeting from a height of approximately 50 meters, sweeping down boulders, trees, and soil, according to reports. The E6 is closed at Rosten north of Sel in Nord-Gudbrandsdalen due to the rockfall early Thursday morning, according to reports. Geologists from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration are assessing the Rosten site with no clear timeline for reopening, according to reports, and officials warn that clearing the debris and securing the slope could take considerable time, according to reports.
For traffic diverted from the closed E6 at Rosten, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration recommends a detour via County Road 3 between Kolomoen in Stange and Ulsberg in Rennebu, according to reports. Norwegian road authorities have identified national road 3 (Rv. 3) in Østerdalen as the only viable detour for the Rosten blockage, according to reports. The Norwegian Road Transport Association has urged authorities to temporarily allow modular truck combinations on county roads 27 and 29 as an alternative route, according to reports, though county roads 27 and 29 are already accessible to heavy vehicle combinations up to 24 meters in length and 60 tons in weight, according to reports. For carriers relying on the E136, the detour through Østerdalen adds as much as 340 kilometers to their round-trip journey, according to reports.
In recent years, there have been several landslides along E6 at Rosten in Sel municipality, according to reports. In April 2025, several large rock blocks fell at two different locations on E6 in a short time, closing it for several days, according to reports. Nye Veier describes the Rosten stretch as exposed to landslides and lacking detour options, highlighting the vulnerability of this critical transport corridor, according to reports.
I demand further measures to secure E6 at Rosten and call for a tunnel, citing it as a main artery and work/school route.
Separately, the Kosmotunnel on E20 is closed due to a technical fault, according to Trafikverket. The technical fault at the Kosmotunnel occurred at 03:19 during the night, according to reports, and the closure may cause disruptions in morning traffic, according to officials. According to a forecast, the Kosmotunnel could reopen by lunchtime on Wednesday, according to reports, though the exact cause of the technical fault remains unknown.
Additional rockfalls and closures were reported across Norway on Thursday morning. County Road 2510 in Vang was closed early Thursday due to a rockfall, according to multiple reports. Old E39, County Road 800, in Skaun in Trøndelag is closed after a rockfall early Thursday morning, with a detour via E39, multiple reports indicate.
Bad weather is causing further impacts, with E6 also closed over Saltfjellet in Nordland due to bad weather, according to Statens vegvesen. Bad weather is causing major challenges for ferry traffic in Northern Norway, with routes on County Road 85 (Bognes-Lødingen) and County Road 80 (Bodø-Værøy-Røst-Moskenes) suspended, multiple reports indicate. Several smaller ferry connections in Nordland are also suspended due to poor weather, according to multiple reports.
The detour through Østerdalen makes it significantly more difficult to comply with drivers' working hours and results in substantial additional costs.
Recent tunnel incidents and closures have affected the Trondheim area. Væretunnelen on E6 in Trondheim was closed Friday morning due to a motorhome breakdown, according to Vegtrafikksentralen Midt. The motorhome stopped in the northbound direction between the roundabout on the south side and the Væretunnelen, according to Stian Gullvåg, a traffic operator at Vegtrafikksentralen. Police are on the scene at Væretunnelen assisting with traffic control and report that only the northbound lane is closed, with southbound traffic flowing smoothly, according to reports, and a tow truck is on the way, according to reports.
Planned maintenance closures are also in effect. Raudhammartunnelen on E6 in Sørfold is opening for normal traffic, with cleanup work continuing at night, according to Statens vegvesen. Manual traffic control will resume at Raudhammartunnelen from 10 p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. Monday morning, multiple reports indicate. Tromsøysundtunnelen will be closed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the next two nights for sweeping and cleaning of technical equipment due to increased traffic and dust from studded tires, according to Statens vegvesen. The closure of Tromsøysundtunnelen coincides with the closure of Tromsøbrua, with manual traffic control using a lead car at specified times, multiple reports indicate.
In Sweden, Götatunneln was closed at 6:20 p.m. due to technical problems, as contact with the tunnel was lost, according to Mats Olsson, a vägtrafikledare at Trafik Göteborg. A driver drove into one of the barriers blocking Götatunneln, according to Mats Olsson. Personnel were on site at Götatunneln for troubleshooting and road assistance provided protection; the tunnel reopened at 10:45 p.m., multiple reports indicate.
I express satisfaction with the quick response and efforts to ease the traffic situation.
Another key tunnel in Sweden, Tingstadstunneln, is an immersed tunnel that is 455 meters long, located under Göta älv, connecting Hisingen with Gothenburg and mainland, according to reports. Tingstadstunneln is part of the E6, which is the main thoroughfare through Gothenburg and the busiest passage over Göta Älv, according to reports. It is an internationally important traffic function as E6 is the main road connection between Oslo and Copenhagen, according to reports. Tingstadstunneln opened for traffic in 1968 and is heavily loaded with approximately 125,000 vehicles per day, according to reports. During 2022-2023, Tingstadstunneln will be reconditioned to increase its life span, replace most technical installations, and take measures to reduce environmental impact and increase safety, according to reports.
Further south in Sweden, there has been a landslide this weekend at the exit of E6 at Stenungsund, according to reports. The impact of the Stenungsund landslide is significant, and traffic is rerouted causing extra driving time/distance, according to reports. It will most likely require several months before the damaged part of E6 at Stenungsund can be repaired and opened again, according to reports. Due to the Stenungsund landslide, there is a potential risk for delays on shipments to/from Norway, Värmland, Bohuslän area, according to reports, though the exact extent of damage and specific repair timeline remain unclear.
Contradictions exist regarding the timeline for reopening the E6 at Rosten after the rockfall. Geologists from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration are assessing the Rosten site with no clear timeline for reopening, according to reports, but a geologist is expected at the Rosten site around 8 a.m. for an update after assessing the terrain, according to Tone Sorken, a traffic operator at Vegtrafikksentralen Øst. This creates uncertainty for travelers and businesses about when the critical E6 route will reopen, affecting planning and logistics. Similarly, different detour recommendations could confuse drivers: the Norwegian Public Roads Administration recommends a detour via County Road 3 between Kolomoen in Stange and Ulsberg in Rennebu, according to reports, while Norwegian road authorities have identified national road 3 (Rv. 3) in Østerdalen as the only viable detour for the Rosten blockage, according to reports.
Key unknowns persist in the aftermath of these disruptions. The exact cause of the technical fault that closed the Kosmotunnel on E20 has not been disclosed. It remains unclear when the E6 at Rosten will reopen, and what specific steps are being taken to clear the rockfall and secure the slope. The extent of damage and specific repair timeline for the E6 at Stenungsund after the landslide is also not fully known. The number of vehicles and commuters affected by the various tunnel and road closures across Norway and Sweden has not been quantified, and the economic impacts, including costs to businesses and logistics, from the multiple disruptions on major highways like E6 and E39 are yet to be assessed.
Reactions from authorities and implications for traffic and economy are emerging. No personal injuries have been reported from the Rosten rockfall, but minor material damage occurred to the first vehicle that arrived at the rockfall, according to multiple reports. County Road 27 over Venabygdsfjellet opened for traffic Wednesday evening after being closed due to bad weather, multiple reports indicate. More specific information about the closed tunnel on E6 in Sørfold will be provided at 3 p.m. Saturday, according to a traffic operator in Statens vegvesen. The tunnel on E6 in Sørfold will be closed with traffic released every other hour from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (at midnight, 2 a.m., and 4 a.m.), according to a traffic operator in Statens vegvesen. Viggjatunnelen on E39 in Skaun was closed Sunday afternoon due to vehicle recovery, with detours signposted, according to Vegtrafikksentralen. According to NRK Norge, Eldri Siem, the mayor of Sel municipality, described demanding further measures to secure E6 at Rosten and called for a tunnel, citing it as a main artery and work/school route. According to trafficban.com, Guttorm Tysnes, the NLF regional director, described the detour through Østerdalen as making it significantly more difficult to comply with drivers' working hours and resulting in substantial additional costs. According to NRK Nyheter, Oddbjørg Mikkelsen, the avdelingsdirektør of Statens vegvesen, described satisfaction with the quick response and efforts to ease the traffic situation.