The eerie sounds from the smoke bridge keep the neighbors awake at night

An eerie noise from the Smögen Bridge keeps the neighbors awake at night.

The new fence creates a noise that rubs against the ears.

– It is completely tone-deaf by the Swedish Transport Administration, in a double sense, says the housing association’s chairman Henrik Hasewinkel.

The neighbors in the Hållöfisk Community Association are furious. The idea behind the new fence on the Smögen Bridge is good. But the outcome was terrible. When the wind blows against the jump protection infoclose the jump protection Bridges of a certain height are required to have a suicide protection along the edges. It should discourage suicide. an eerie, and loud, sound occurs. According to a resident nearby, it amounts to as much as 70 decibels.

– It only winds 355 days a year, says resident Stefan Jansson ironically.

The Smögen Bridge was inaugurated in 1968 and is a landmark for the west coast island. The bridge connects Smögen with Kungshamn and the view from the top has been described as “a national interest”.

When resident Adam Samuelsson, 33, answers the phone, he is tired. But it wasn’t the toddlers who kept him awake.

– It’s that bloody bridge hell. It is completely senseless, he says.

The Smögen Bridge connects Smögen with Kungshamn. Photo: Private

He lives about 150 meters from the bridge and sleeps with the doors and windows closed. But it doesn’t help. The sound goes straight in.

He thinks the principle behind the suicide fence is great and important.

– But they obviously haven’t considered that there are homes around that could be affected by the sound. Now only half the fence is up, I don’t even want to think about how it will sound when the whole thing is finished, he says.

At its worst, it’s when it’s windy, and it does so almost all the time. Now he hopes that the Swedish Transport Administration will find a solution.

– It’s not just that the fence is ugly, it looks awful. But that they solve the sound is the main thing, that bothers you the most, says Adam Samuelsson.

The jump shelter has previously been criticized for being ugly and spoiling the beautiful view. In July 2023 reported SVT West that tourist associations and residents criticized the jump shelter.

Only half the fence is built. Now neighbors are worried about how it will sound when everything is finished. Photo: Private

Henrik Hasewinkel is the chairman of the housing association Hållöfisk:

– We must be afraid of each other, and think about humanity. But the design of the jump guards has not been the best, he says.

As a coastal resident, you know how noise should be handled, he says. In harbors, for example, sailing and fishing boats are lashed in such a way that the noise from the wind is minimized. But with the jump protection it is not the same way. No tests were done before it was built, according to him.

– I have had a dialogue with the Swedish Transport Administration and the municipality about this process of developing a good protection and railing for the bridge.

But he doesn’t have much to spare for the outcome.

– It is completely tone-deaf by the Swedish Transport Administration, in a double sense.

Aftonbladet has asked the Swedish Transport Administration for a comment.

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