På väg. En undersökning av en svensk stadsmotorväg

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to examine one of Sweden's oldest motorways in city environment. The researched section is motorway E20 east of Gothenburg. Olskroksmotet in the west and Jonsered junction in the east, a distance of about 11 km. The main question was, can maintenance of areas and objects related to the motorway give greater meaning to a system that currently lacks historical connection? The survey was partly an archival study and partly a physical examination of the motorway and its appearance today. The road through Säveedalen from Gothenburg has a long history that begins with the river and its valley as transport routes. From the 1800th century there are reliable sources that show a road with similar path to the one today. In the 1900th century, the railroad was drawn here to. The motorway was planned in 1955 and construction began from the east. The eastern part of the highway was completed in Partille 1965. From Partille the highway was built to Gothenburgs city limits. In Gothenburg, the highway was built in two stages and was ready for use in late 1968 The study concludes that a highway is in an urban environment in many ways has a negative impact for the local environment through noise and traffic and in that it acts as a barrier that prevents people to move at a local level. It is also an infrastructure that is essential for the modern transportation-dependent society we live in. This conflict can be resolved by using the regions history of transportation in order to provide both local residents and travelers an interesting experience of the highway. This can be done with information signs, picnic areas and places where people traveling can connect to the local communities in natural ways.