Rockfall shuts E6 at Rosten in Norway

The E6, a vital north-south transport route connecting Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, and Oslo with southern Norway and Sweden, was shut down overnight Wednesday to Thursday after a rockfall plummeted from approximately 50 meters, sweeping boulders, trees, and soil across the roadway. According to multiple reports, no injuries occurred, though the first vehicle to reach the slide sustained minor material damage. Geologists from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) are currently assessing the terrain, but officials warn that clearing debris and securing the slope could take considerable time, leaving the reopening timeline uncertain.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration recommends a detour via national road 3 (Rv. 3) between Kolomoen in Stange and Ulsberg in Rennebu, identified as the only viable alternative. The Norwegian Road Transport Association (NLF) responded swiftly, with regional director Guttorm Tysnes urging authorities to temporarily allow modular truck combinations on county roads 27 (via Venabygdsfjellet) and 29 (Folldal–Hjerkinn). These routes already accommodate heavy vehicle combinations up to 24 meters in length and 60 tons, enabling standard modular transport units to pass. Tysnes noted that for carriers relying on the E136, the detour through Østerdalen adds up to 340 kilometers to round trips, complicating compliance with drivers' working hours and incurring substantial additional costs.

Political and industry leaders have renewed calls for a tunnel at Rosten. According to NRK Norge, Mayor of Sel municipality Eldri Siem (Sp) demanded a tunnel, stating it is high time. Nye Veier, the state-owned road construction company, describes the stretch as 'exposed to landslides and lacks detour options.' According to NRK Norge, regional manager of Norges Lastebileier-Forbund Innlandet Jim Nybø said it is high time for a tunnel and that something must happen before lives are lost. Similarly, according to NRK Norge, regional manager of NHO Innlandet Jon Kristiansen agreed with Siem and Nybø, emphasizing the importance of speeding up landslide protection work. NRK has not yet obtained a comment from the Ministry of Transport.

The Rosten area has a history of landslides. Multiple reports indicate that several landslides have occurred along E6 at Rosten in Sel municipality in recent years. In April 2025, several large boulders fell onto E6 at two different locations in a short time, closing the road for several days.

Other rockfall-related closures have also affected the region. County road 2510 in Vang was closed during the night to Thursday due to a rockfall, according to multiple reports. Additionally, Old E39, county road 800, in Skaun in Trøndelag was closed after a rockfall in the morning hours Thursday, with a detour via E39. However, it is unclear whether this incident is separate from a vehicle recovery closure on Viggjatunnelen on E39 in Skaun, which was reported closed on Sunday afternoon due to vehicle recovery with a signposted detour.

In Nordland, the E6 is also closed over Saltfjellet due to bad weather, according to Statens vegvesen. However, no other source reports this closure, raising the possibility that it may be outdated or incorrect. Meanwhile, the Raudhammartunnelen on E6 in Sørfold has opened for normal traffic, according to Statens vegvesen. Cleanup work will continue at night, and manual traffic control will resume from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Monday morning, with traffic let through every two hours (midnight, 2 AM, 4 AM). According to NRK Nyheter, Avdelingsdirektør for Drift og vedlikehold i nord i Statens vegvesen Oddbjørg Mikkelsen expressed gladness that the road opens as normal except at night. More specific information about the closed tunnel on E6 in Sørfold was expected at 3:00 PM Saturday, according to a traffic operator at Statens vegvesen as reported by NRK Nordland.

Ferry services in Nordland have also been disrupted. Multiple reports indicate that ferry services on riksvei 85 between Bognes and Lødingen (route A) and riksvei 80 Bodø-Værøy-Røst-Moskenes are cancelled due to challenging weather. Several smaller ferry services in Nordland are also cancelled.

In Trondheim, the Væretunnelen on E6 was closed due to a motorhome breakdown. According to Adresseavisen, traffic operator Stian Gullvåg described that the motorhome stopped in the northbound direction between the roundabout on the south side and the tunnel. Police were on site, and the tunnel was closed at 11:55 AM on Friday. At 12:07 PM, police stated that only the northbound lane was closed and southbound traffic flowed fine. Police assisted with traffic direction and a tow truck was on the way. Additionally, the Stavsjøfjelltunnelen in Malvik was closed in the direction of Trondheim on Sunday morning due to a stopped vehicle. According to Adresseavisen, traffic operator Hans Petter Riddervold Hårsvær described that a car stopped in the tunnel at 09:05 AM, and police were on the way. The tunnel was expected to open as soon as police contacted the driver.

In Sweden, several tunnel closures have compounded transport disruptions. Kosmotunneln on E20 is closed due to a technical fault, according to Trafikverket. The closure may cause disruptions in morning traffic. The fault occurred at 03:19 during the night and the tunnel is expected to reopen around noon on Wednesday. Götatunneln was closed at 18:20 due to technical problems; contact with the tunnel was lost. According to Göteborgs-Posten, vägtrafikledare Mats Olsson described that a motorist drove into one of the barriers blocking the tunnel. Personnel performed troubleshooting and road assistance was present, and the tunnel reopened at 22:45. Tingstadstunneln, an immersed tunnel 455 meters long under Göta älv, connects Hisingen with Gothenburg and mainland. It is part of E6, the main thoroughfare through Gothenburg and the busiest passage over Göta Älv, and serves as an internationally important traffic function as E6 is the main road connection between Oslo and Copenhagen. The tunnel opened in 1968 and carries approximately 125,000 vehicles per day. During 2022-2023, reconditioning of the tunnel’s construction is planned to increase its lifespan, including replacement of most technical installations and measures to reduce environmental impact and increase safety.

A landslide at Stenungsund on E6 in Sweden has also caused significant disruption. The impact is significant, with traffic rerouted causing extra driving time and distance. It will most likely require several months before the damaged part of E6 can be repaired and reopened, according to research sources. Due to this situation, there is a potential risk for delays on shipments to and from Norway, Värmland, and the Bohuslän area.

Planned closures include Tromsøysundtunnelen, which will be closed between 10 PM and 6 AM 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. Tromsøbrua is closed at the same time, and manual traffic control with a lead vehicle will occur at given times during the evening and night. Stavsjøtunnelen will be closed in both directions between 18:00 and 18:30 in the evening due to blasting work, with a signposted detour. Viggjatunnelen on E39 in Skaun is closed on Sunday afternoon due to vehicle recovery, with a signposted detour.

On a positive note, county road 27 over Venabygdsfjellet reopened Wednesday evening after being closed for a long time due to bad weather, according to multiple reports.

Several unknowns remain. The reopening timeline for E6 at Rosten is unclear; while officials warn of considerable time, some sources suggest it could take several months. The status of the E6 over Saltfjellet is uncertain, as only one source reports its closure. It is also unclear whether the Old E39 rockfall and the Viggjatunnelen vehicle recovery are separate incidents or the same closure. The cause of the technical fault in Kosmotunneln has not been disclosed, and the repair timeline for the Stenungsund landslide remains uncertain.