Sinkholes, potholes and cracks in the road.
Along county road 686 in Krokom municipality in Jämtland, the villagers and businesses have had enough.
Now they want the government to act and give the region more money for the roads – which are the worst in the country.
– We get destroyed cars and punctures in large numbers, says Katy Olsson, one of those who live in the area.
Katy Olsson lives in Edsvedajan with her husband. Their son lives with his family in the house next door. Not far from there is county road 686 – one of Sweden’s worst dirt roads.
– It’s bad, it’s really substandard. We get wrecked cars and punctures in abundance. Shock absorbers and so on are commonplace for us who live along the road.
The road, which is two miles long and in places only four meters wide, is leveled a few times a year but soon after it cracks and potholes appear.
Heavy traffic also drives here, both to collect timber, fish and slate.
– It has been a concern for many years and we don’t really see a solution. It is sad that it has to be like this, that you risk both life and health, says Per Göran Pettersson, CEO of Minera Skiffer Offerdal.
Worst roads in the country
In April, the industry organization Transportföretagen stated that Jämtland had the worst roads in the country. Over 20 percent of the roads are in very poor condition. Despite that, Jämtland receives almost the least amount of money of all the regions in Sweden.
– Our frustration is as great as those who live by the roads. But that frustration needs to be directed at the national level because that’s where the money is. We need to get more money into the system. Jämtland county has 600 kilometers of public roads and receives as much money as Blekinge, which has barely a sixth of that, says Jonas Andersson (S), chairman of the regional development committee in Region Jämtland Härjedalen.
The regions in the north demanded a meeting with the government last spring – but have still not received an answer. In the meantime, the villagers are gathering strength along road 686, and in the fall a trip to Stockholm awaits to court the ministers.
– I just think that Sweden in 2023 should be able to have passable roads. Not that we should have to argue and complain about the roads. But we have to in order to bring about a change. Nothing happens if we don’t speak up, says Katy Olsson.
Do you think there will be a change?
– Maybe not this year, not next year. But in the future. I really hope so. I would have liked to see that we have a paved road before I drive off, she says.