Riksvei 162

Riksvei 162
Country	Norway
Type	Riksvei
Route	162
Length km	24
Termini a	Østfold
Termini b	Akershus
Counties	Viken
Established	1965

Riksvei 162 is a regional Norwegian roadway linking suburban and semi-rural districts within Viken. The route connects municipal centres and industrial areas while intersecting national corridors and local arterials near Oslo. It serves commuter flows to nodes like Lillestrøm, Ski, Moss and provides access to rail hubs such as Oslo Central Station via feeder roads.

Route description

The alignment begins near junctions with European route E6, passes through corridors adjacent to Glomma, traverses built-up zones near Lørenskog, and continues toward coastal approaches by Mjøndalen. Along the way the roadway skirts industrial parks linked to Norsk Hydro, logistics centres serving Port of Oslo, and commuter districts feeding Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. The cross-section alternates between two-lane rural segments and four-lane suburban sections resembling thoroughfares found in Drammen and Fredrikstad. It crosses rail lines belonging to Norwegian State Railways and interfaces with county roads that lead to attractions like Hurdalssjøen and historic sites near Akershus Fortress.

History

Originally constructed in the postwar expansion era influenced by projects such as the modernisation around Einar Gerhardsen’s premiership, the corridor saw widening programs contemporaneous with infrastructure plans promoted by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. Early alignments were upgraded during the 1970s following freight shifts tied to the growth of Statoil facilities and port traffic at Moss. Subsequent safety campaigns echoing work after incidents on routes near Rjukan and policy shifts paralleling legislation like the Road Traffic Act (Norway) led to grade-separation works and bypasses around population centres such as Ski. Recent decades included coordination with rail upgrades exemplified by projects at Lillestrøm Station and environmental reviews similar to assessments undertaken for Oslofjordtunnelen.

Major junctions and interchanges

Key nodes include a junction with E6 near Lillestrøm, an interchange linking to county arteries toward Moss and Sarpsborg, a roundabout connection to roads feeding Oslo Airport, Gardermoen logistics parks, and grade-separated crossings adjacent to Norwegian National Rail Administration lines. Notable interchanges emulate designs used at E18 junctions near Asker and include ramps serving industrial estates tied to companies such as Yara International and warehousing networks associated with Bring.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes show commuter peaks comparable to corridors serving Oslo suburbs, with modal splits influenced by access to Vy (transport company) rail services and bus routes operated by Ruter. Freight movements are significant owing to proximity to terminals used by operators like Wallenius Wilhelmsen and distribution networks linked to Posten Norge. Seasonal variations reflect tourism flows toward destinations like Hadeland and recreational areas near Nordmarka, while accident statistics prompted remedial works similar to interventions carried out on roads near Tromsø and Bergen.

Planned upgrades and maintenance

Planned schemes include carriageway strengthening inspired by projects on E16 (Norway), safety enhancements following models from Statens vegvesen campaigns, and environmental mitigation measures akin to those used on the Hardangervidda programmes. Proposals envisage additional lanes, new interchanges mirroring designs near Drammen, noise barriers near residential zones like Lørenskog, and cycle path links compatible with networks in Bærum and Asker. Maintenance scheduling coordinates with winter services standards set by Norwegian Meteorological Institute guidance and procurement frameworks similar to national tenders overseen by Ministry of Transport (Norway).

Surrounding municipalities and landmarks

The corridor serves municipalities including Lillestrøm, Ski, Moss, Rælingen, and Lørenskog, providing access to landmarks such as Akershus Fortress, municipal centres, industrial complexes tied to Norsk Hydro, port facilities at Port of Moss, and green spaces contiguous with Østmarka and Nordmarka. Cultural and civic institutions reachable from the route include venues comparable to Oslo Spektrum, regional hospitals like Akershus University Hospital, and sports arenas similar to facilities in Lillestrøm SK’s vicinity.

Category:Roads in Viken