Road Askvoll-Selvik
In 1946, the road to Stongfjorden had been built. In the 1960s, there was a road Stongfjord-Vågane-Flokenes-Selvik. As time went by, a continuous road from Stongfjorden along the Førdefjord became a strong wish, in order to connect Askvoll with Førde.
In the county priority list
When the road Øygard-Ulltang in Førde was opened for traffic in December 1972, it gave a push to the plan for a road on to Askvoll. In the 1967 plan for county road projects, the section Slevik-Hestvik-Førde boundary in Askvoll municipality, was suggested given allocations in the period 1973-77. Øygard-Heilevang-Askvoll boundary in Førde municipality was suggested given grants in the period 1978-82. This road would give the Heilevang and Mulen areas in Førde road connections, and it was also important for the neighbourhoods to the north-east in Askvoll municipality. The unanimous opinion at Askvoll was that an extension of the road eastwards and connection with Førde would be important to sustain and develop the industry and the population of the entire Askvoll peninsula, while they waited for a state road on the north side of the Dalsfjord and the Dalsfjord bridge.
Plan for advance payment
The public authorities of Askvoll and Førde worked hard to solve the financial problem. The plan was to have the road built for regional development grants, extraordinary job creation grants, ordinary road appropriations from the county, and private loans. In February 1976, the Ministry for Municipalities and Employment gave the two municipalities permission to take up a loan of up to NOK 5 million as an advance payment for the project. The loan was based on equities bought by the public. For this reason the road was named "Folkelånsvegen".
Initiative and vitality
The idea to finance the road partly with equities came from the mayor at the time Kåre Ness and Anders Sølvberg, administration and employment director of Askvoll municipality. Kåre Ness was also bank manager in the municipality. The idea was widely applauded at Askvoll. The consensus is that but for the enthusiasm of the public, the road would probably not have been built. 250 people bought shares for a total of NOK 3 million. The municipalities of Askvoll and Førde bought for NOK 3 million.
State support
After many trips to the ministry in Oslo, regional development grants and job creation grants were promised. The local initiative and the great interest shown by the people of Askvoll and Førde were important factors when the county council, with hesitation, included the "Folkelånsvegen" in the road plan and granted NOK 11 million. The state contributed NOK 9 million.
From county road to state road
The 16-kilometre-long "Folkelånsvegen", from Øygard in Førde, across the valley of Solheimsdalen to Selvik in Askvoll, cost NOK 26.1 million. At an early stage it was calculated at NOK 7 million. Førde and Askvoll municipalities both decided in 1970 and in 1972 to petition the road to be classified as a county road. The county council agreed in 1973. In 1984, the road was given state road status, as a part of state road 609.
The construction work
In March 1975, the construction work was started up at Øygard. The Public Roads Administration started by building a bridge across the river between the lakes of Karstadvatnet and Øygardsvatnet. In the winter of 1977 it was possible to drive a car to Heilevang. In October 1977, the work on the road from Hestvik (in Askvoll) was started. The final leg was a new road for the section Ulveskaret-Løvik-Hestvik, which was finished in 1980.
Opening
The road was opened for traffic on 6 July 1979, and was officially opened on 3 October the following year.
