Rijkswaterstaat: “Unprecedented traffic disruption in Utrecht region in 2025”

Reducing nuisances

Eric Diepstraten, chief engineer director (HID) of Central Netherlands says, “We are limiting the inconvenience as much as possible, but it is also up to the road user. If you take the car in the coming year without preparation, you run the risk of significant delays. Especially in the period from May to October. Planning your trip well in advance can prevent a lot of traffic jams.”

The work in a nutshell

What exactly is going to happen? We are happy to explain. The road network in the Utrecht region will undergo a major overhaul in 2025. In the summer, Rijkswaterstaat will replace 30 km of asphalt on the A12 between Veenendaal and Lunetten. Conversely, work is being carried out on the A27 between Houten and Hooipolder. Rijkswaterstaat is also replacing the pendants of the Galecopper Bridge on the A12 towards Arnhem. Finally, the A2 between the Oudenrijn interchange and the Leidsche Rijntunnel will receive new asphalt in both directions.

Much is outdated

Many bridges, viaducts and locks date from the 1950s and 1960s and are in urgent need of maintenance and renovation. In addition, there is increasing and heavier freight and car traffic which causes additional wear and tear. Planning this work is a complex puzzle. Not everywhere can be worked on at the same time, and the capacity of personnel and equipment is also a limiting factor.

Diepstraten: “The Utrecht region is often already quite busy on the roads, so these works are going to cause a lot of inconvenience. That is not a pleasant message, but the work is necessary to guarantee safety on the roads. The good news is that our road network at these locations will last for years after the work is completed. Moreover: planned maintenance is less bad than unplanned maintenance, because that often leads to unexpected road closures and therefore even longer traffic jams.”

Reducing traffic jams

“By consciously choosing what time you travel, avoiding the rush hour, working from home or traveling in other ways such as public transport or by bicycle, we can significantly reduce traffic jams,” Diepstraten argues. “Discuss this with your employer, if you can. If you do have to hit the road, follow the detour signs and not your navigation system.” A tip from Diepstraten, check trafficexpectations.nl.

Andre van Schie, member of the Provincial Executive of Utrecht with mobility in the portfolio: “Besides Rijkswaterstaat, the province, municipalities and ProRail also have a lot of maintenance work to do. That’s why we coordinate the work as well as possible. The ‘Goed op weg’ partnership helps us do that. For example, by helping employers with communication, research and mobility policy. Our joint goal is to improve accessibility, road safety and livability in the region in this way.”