After just over six years of construction, the first two lanes of the Essingeleden were inaugurated in August 1966. Up to 100,000 spectators had gathered along the new highway to be there when the ribbon of the inauguration itself was cut on Gröndalsbron by the then Prime Minister Tage Erlander and Princess Désirée.
In connection with the right-hand traffic diversion in September 1967, the western carriageway was also opened.
Today, Essingeleden is Sweden’s busiest stretch of road. According to the Swedish Transport Administration, an average of up to 180,000 vehicles pass here on a normal weekday.