Map of the different options.
This latest study builds upon a previous investigation that led to the proposal for the Östra Leden route. Given the significant development of Skellefteå, Trafikverket decided to revisit the matter and explore additional options.
On Tuesday, the agency published a map outlining the proposed corridors, and the full proposal, including detailed information, will be available on Thursday.
Starting from the west, the Östra Leden option remains under consideration, as in the previous study.
The second possible route is via Tuvan. While this route has been explored before, the recent construction of the Norrbotniabanan railway line and Northvolt's battery factory have introduced new factors to consider.
The third route, via Örviken and the Sundgrund Bridge, was previously dismissed due to its distance from the city.
A previously considered option, Gunsen, has been discarded due to the soft and waterlogged ground east of Northvolt.
For the northern exit from the city, there are two alternatives:
- If the E4 follows the Östra Leden route, it would connect near the current fire station at Solbacken.
- The other options involve a new route much further north, affecting the northernmost part of Morö Backe, Degermyran's waste disposal center, and the surrounding forest and nature.
All of these corridors will now undergo further investigation.
In previous studies, Trafikverket considered the possibility of retaining the current E4 route with improvements. However, this option is no longer being considered.
The relocation of the E4 highway is now inevitable; the only question now is where it will go.
Here you can compare the old proposals (on the left) with the new ones. Note that the corridor just outside Skelleftehamn has been developed, while the corridor over Gunsen has disappeared.