Possible. They are quite keen on long merging lanes that extend from one exit to the other, providing some extra capacity (not a lot though).

However, it has become quite quiet about the new Muiderberg Bridge. I believe plans were scaled back because of the pricetag? (not in terms of capacity, but in terms of design, the new bridge will be more functional, and less extravaganza, so no major landmark).

That's a shame, they finally could've turned the Hollandse Brug into something nice. Right now it's a bit of faceless bridge so to speak, when it really is the main (highway) entry to Almere and beyond.

6x6 = 36

That aside, the A6 near Almere will get 2x4 lanes plus a double reversible lane. That means 6 lanes during rush hour, but not 6 lanes each way at the same time.

Sorry, i meant 2x6 :lol: (6 each way). But i don't know much about it, i just heard it at the local tv station..

A video of all 4 motorway tunnels under the IJ River in Amsterdam.

ZstSTGnXHvw

A2 "Superhighway"

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4884814348_53895ef1db_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884814348/)
A2-Abcoude-1 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884814348/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4884212467_8741fd3109_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212467/)
A2-Abcoude-2 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212467/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4884814464_cc9e7e4c64_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884814464/)
A2-Abcoude-3 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884814464/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4884212553_ca1ff67a81_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212553/)
A2-Abcoude-4 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212553/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4884212599_e7b046872a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212599/)
A2-Abcoude-5 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212599/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4884212669_4a72b53457_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212669/)
A2-Abcoude-6 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4884212669/)

^^ Quite impressive.
How many vehicles per day pass through this highway?

Today: approximately 180,000 vehicles
2020: approximately 250,000 vehicles

All because the Utrecht area is booming with new housing developments. The "Leidsche Rijn" housing project alone is impressive at 90,000 new inhabitants.

Another video:

This one covers the new A4 ringvaart aquaduct, then the 10-lane section to Schiphol, A5 between the Schiphol runways and ultimately the A9 up to Haarlem.

b4_PAxSMaAY

^^ They should number the exit for Haarlem-Zuid, as is no longer an autosnelweg...

A video of all 4 motorway tunnels under the IJ River in Amsterdam.


Thanks for posting, nice video!

Not to be cocky, but the 'IJ' is not a river. It used to be a bay at the edge of the 'Zuiderzee', which became connected to the north sea, with a man made channel westwards sea. Most of the tunnels actually run under this dig. (But I'm pretty sure you already know this) :)

It was just to simplify things :)

Technically, the first two videos are going under the North Sea Canal, which is connected to the IJ.

Water bodies changing names is quite common in the Netherlands. For example when the Rijn (Rhine) enters the Netherlands, it splits in the Waal and Pannerdensch Canal;

Rhine -> Waal -> Merwede -> Nieuwe Merwede -> Hollands Diep -> Haringvliet -> North Sea.
Rhine -> Pannerdensch Canal -> Nederrijn -> Lek -> Nieuwe Maas -> Nieuwe Waterweg -> North Sea

Very nice photos, I particularly like the wide grassy median! It's much nicer than a concrete or steel crash barrier. Is that an insurance policy in case further widening is necessary?

@Ed110220: No the wide median is necessary because otherwise the side that has been newly build on the weak soil could push the old base away. It takes a couple years for all the ground under the new asphalt to be settled completely and during that time the median forms a buffer.

Additionally I used Chris's photo to show the difference between 2006 and 2010:

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/8350/44582712.jpg

Spot the differences! The 100 km/h sign is at the same place as it was in 2006.

Why there is not some crash barrier?

Tired of having trucks and cars causing wrecks? How about an airplane?

http://media.nu.nl/m/m1azupnaj27q_700.jpg

http://media.nu.nl/m/m1azupnalf7s_700.jpg

http://www.hoofddorpsecourant.nl/uploaded/IMAGES/photos/doris/201008/9466505_9466291.jpg

http://www.hoofddorpsecourant.nl/uploaded/IMAGES/photos/doris/201008/9466505_9466290.jpg

Location: A44 North of Leiden.

Tired of having trucks and cars causing wrecks? How about an airplane?

http://media.nu.nl/m/m1azupnaj27q_700.jpg

http://media.nu.nl/m/m1azupnalf7s_700.jpg

http://www.hoofddorpsecourant.nl/uploaded/IMAGES/photos/doris/201008/9466505_9466291.jpg

http://www.hoofddorpsecourant.nl/uploaded/IMAGES/photos/doris/201008/9466505_9466290.jpg

Location: A44 North of Leiden.~

Oh shit! Isn't that the Dakota that was going to be used in the 'Soldaat van Oranje' musical?

Yes it was.

It has to be noted the A44 is one of the narrowest motorways in the Randstad. (and about the only one which still has a 120 km/h limit)

A50 IC Ewijk - IC Valburg

Good news about the construction of the second Waal Bridge near Ewijk.

An action group has lost an appeal at the Council of State against Rijkswaterstaat. They wanted to stop the cutting of a few trees for the new bridge, arguing Rijkswaterstaat didn't obtained a cutting permit. However, the cutting of these trees falls under the so-called "forest law", which was solidified in the record of decision.

The appeal didn't stand any ground, and works can proceed to construct the second Waal Bridge as planned.

The current A50 runs across the 4-lane Waal Bridge. A second Waal Bridge will be constructed to widen the A50 in this section to 8 lanes. Completion in 2014.

A2 Utrecht - Amsterdam "Superhighway"

Let me present the awesomest motorway in the Netherlands.

tip: play it on youtube (double-click video) and select 720 or 1080p and watch it full-screen!
AD6Et3ZZ90s

^^ What happened to exit 2?
I want to see the video at 240p, because even at 360p gets me laggy because of traffic!

^^ What happened to exit 2?
I want to see the video at 240p, because even at 360p gets me laggy because of traffic!

I think AMC is exit 2 but to take exit 2 you have to follow the lanes for A9 after exit Abcoude.

A2 Utrecht - Amsterdam "Superhighway"

Let me present the awesomest motorway in the Netherlands.

tip: play it on youtube (double-click video) and select 720 or 1080p and watch it full-screen!
AD6Et3ZZ90s

Very nice Chris! :cheers1:

A2 Utrecht - Amsterdam "Superhighway"

Let me present the awesomest motorway in the Netherlands.

tip: play it on youtube (double-click video) and select 720 or 1080p and watch it full-screen!
AD6Et3ZZ90s

Great video Chris! Looking at freeways of The Netherlands always reminds me of the Stockton/Sacramento area of California. Now, if only our freeways looked as pleasing to the eye as Dutch ones!... Sigh. :bash:

Great video Chris! Looking at freeways of The Netherlands always reminds me of the Stockton/Sacramento area of California. Now, if only our freeways looked as pleasing to the eye as Dutch ones!... Sigh. :bash:

On the other side, I barely dream of seeing any typical American freeway moving fleet on Chris Dutch highway videos... I've never seen a Suburban, Trailblazer or 4Runner on our roads...

On the other side, I barely dream of seeing any typical American freeway moving fleet on Chris Dutch highway videos... I've never seen a Suburban, Trailblazer or 4Runner on our roads...

You occasionally see one here in the UK. In Norway, I saw quite a few. There has to be some in The Netherlands somewhere. :-)

I'm surprised to see that it narrows down to only two lanes as it's approaching the A10. Isn't that a problem during morning rush hours? Was that a deliberate attempt to steer traffic flows in the area or were there other reasons?

PS: really awesome video, btw :okay:

The idea is to widen A2 within interchange Holendrecht to 2x5 lanes. However, this will consist by adding a 3rd lane from A9 to the Ouderkerk exit, and it looks like that small 2-lane section will remain at the northern section of interchange Holendrecht. Apparently, 2 lanes is considered enough to handle the traffic flow towards Amsterdam.

The intersecting A9 will be widened to 2x4 lanes towards Schiphol (west), and 2x5 lanes to Diemen (east).

It has to be noted though, that most major job centers in the Amsterdam region are south of the North Sea Canal / IJ River. Therefor, the amount of through traffic from Utrecht to the north of Amsterdam or further is pretty limited. A9 will absorb a lot of traffic coming from Utrecht.

However, my gut feeling is that 2 lanes will not be enough in the further future, especially not with all the developments along A10 in the South of Amsterdam. However, it also has to be noted the full 5-lane capacity will not be used for at least another 5 - 10 years.

^^ As Chris says a lot of traffic on the northbound A2 heads towards Amstelveen and Schiphol Airport via the westbound A9. So the northbound 2 lanes are hardly a problem currently.

Southbound the 2 lanes at KP Holendrecht are a bigger problem and causes jams on a daily basis.

The section Holendrecht-Amstel will be a problem soon after the Utrecht land tunnel will be opened. However there's no money to start a project. Although with simple adjustments of only M€ 10 (including an EMA for 1000 metres of real widening with 1 lane) this could be solved. Well, I think the money comes after all when the problem will arise visibly...

A5 Amsterdam

The first of a series of lateral beams of the A5 will be placed tonight. The first one is 27 meters long, and the longest constructed so far in the Netherlands. Dozens more will follow suit. They will bear the 3.3 kilometer long elevated motorway in the industrial west of Amsterdam. It will be the longest elevated motorway in the Netherlands. Completion is planned for 2012, with a full opening in 2013 because the old Coen Tunnel will have to be renovated once the second one is completed.

Asphalt types in the Netherlands.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4928391903_8d146843be_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4928391903/)
asfalt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4928391903/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

Green = types of porous asphalt
Blue = regular dense asphalt
Purple = concrete

As you can see there isn't much concrete (the A1 section has just been repaved with asphalt). The majority of the motorway mileage has porous asphalt.

Porous asphalt? What is that?

Here we have asphalt, concretic (dunno what that is, but have seen it in tenders for paving contracts put out by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) and sealcoat (chip seal) Some roads are still gravel/dirt. Rougher than s**t too, but those are mainly forestry/logging roads.

Porous asphalt has superior drainage and noise features, but is more expensive and less durable. Apart from the Netherlands, it's also used extensively in France and Italy. Other countries do not use it as much.

porous asphalt is type kind of asphalt that contains bigger granulate (stones) and thus bigger voids in between them. We call it 'very open asphalt concrete' ('zeer open asfalt beton' (ZOAB).
This type of asphalt reduces noise considerable and gives water more room to flow away and thereby reduces dangerous situations with hydroplaning or aquaplaning.

This type of asphalt reduces noise considerable and gives water more room to flow away and thereby reduces dangerous situations with hydroplaning or aquaplaning.

And, also important, reduces splash to near-zero, thus avoiding that capacity decreases during precipitation on our saturated roads. :)

Flooding on A1 near Oldenzaal.

http://data.rtl.nl/_internal/gridimage_v3!0/di5g8z2f18aa4sukf5q8v4erbmbfi2h/6e359d2da2be9006_63e5accd58aebd9dea3fe86b27ab0b60.jpeg

http://data.rtl.nl/_internal/gridimage_v3!0/55x5agdcgejg97dx7vos27x08zsqnv0/c9a74f05b302497b_110859146fd719773fe5d85c838dfe4e.jpeg

http://data.rtl.nl/_internal/gridimage_v3!0/ftr8w4apx9k6lqghgqkv86iht546rc4/c9a74f05b302497b_17f2912d34a1a899c006d7ed8eda0c3e.jpeg

Porous asphalt has superior drainage and noise features, but is more expensive and less durable. Apart from the Netherlands, it's also used extensively in France and Italy. Other countries do not use it as much.

I think this kind of asphalt is extensively used in GB. There is significant difference, though in noise level between recently laid-out sections comparing to older ones.

In Italy, Autostrade per l'Italia claims to have covered with porous asphalt 81.6% of its network
corresponding to 100% excluding tunnels, mountain sections and sections under widening works.
Autostrade per l'Italia does not run all Italian autostrade, so there are sections where porous asphalt is not laid down yet.

However, you can really see the difference, expecially in terms of splashes, as Chris previously said.

Just got back from Amsterdam, the new section of the A2 is cool, on the way five lanes were open and we were very late because of the French N roads, so we bombed along the A2 to make time up around Utrecht, the left two lanes were deserted. On the way back only three lanes were open and there was a long traffic jam; it took five hours in all to reach Calais because of delays around Amsterdam, Utrecht and Antwerp.

You do know the 100 km/h limit is often enforced? Unfortunately, it can cost you quite some money to "bomb along A2".

You do know the 100 km/h limit is often enforced? Unfortunately, it can cost you quite some money to "bomb along A2".

I didn't see a single police vehicle on the Dutch motorways. How is it enforced? Mobile cameras? Police patrols?

Sneaky positioned multanova radar sets, optical speedsets, etc.

^^ That wonderful quote by King William I ('Geen land ter wereld is rijk genoeg om zich de weelde van slechte wegen te kunnen veroorloven') might be better translated like this:

"No country on earth is rich enough to afford the luxury of poor roads."

Just a suggestion :)

Not a bad suggestion :)

Just a question: Why there is no A3 autosnelweg?

^^
I wrote an article in the Dutch Wegenwiki.
This is what you get if Google translates it into Spanish...

http://translate.google.nl/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wegenwiki.nl%2FA3_%2528Nederland%2529&sl=nl&tl=es


@Slagader: bedankt !

After more than 50 years of debating today finally the dicision has been taken: the A4 between Delft and Rotterdam will be constructed. It is expected to be opened by 2015.

After more than 50 years of debating today finally the dicision has been taken: the A4 between Delft and Rotterdam will be constructed. It is expected to be opened by 2015.

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Seems that the lame duck session of the current coalition has been quite productive in terms of road projects.

(Too bad it will feature only 2 lanes northbound...)

Now waiting until the decision becomes irrevocable. Which is expected to be early summer 2011.

(Too bad it will feature only 2 lanes northbound...)It will be 2 lanes southbound and 3 lanes northbound.

^^ Probably to prevent rückstau on A20. A4 has buffer space all the way around Delft.

^^ Probably to prevent rückstau on A20. A4 has buffer space all the way around Delft.
What's the prognosis on the two other major gaps in the A4 to the south?

Mike

The southernmost section near Steenbergen will be constructed shortly, completion in early 2013 or so. However, there are no prodecures running for the section south of Rotterdam. The option right now is to widen A15 to 2x5 lanes and A29 to 3+4 lanes. However, the existing Heinenoord Tunnel in the A29 motorway cannot be widened (it has 4+3 lanes).

What will the number of the southern section be? A4 or A29?

Heinenoordtunnel = 2x3

Can't they build a second tunnel like near the Cohen Tunnel?

Completing the A4 seems me to be better.

ROFL: Cohen Tunnel. Job Cohen (labor party) wishes a tunnel would be named after him. It's actually the Coen Tunnel.

ROFL: Cohen Tunnel. Job Cohen (labor party) wishes a tunnel would be named after him. It's actually the Coen Tunnel.

He's nuts... Maybe they can name a tea room after him that would be more like him... :nuts:

*cough*

Paving of the A2 between Utrecht and Den Bosch (IC Everdingen - IC Deil to be precise). They closed down the southbound lanes for this.

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/1893/img1857d.jpg

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/8980/img1843m.jpg

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/9733/img1826b.jpg

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4430/img1824.jpg

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/1778/img1817o.jpg

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5416/img1869w.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8908/img1869r.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6561/crw1888.jpg

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2002/crw1895.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4553/img1816v.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3892/img1815ach.jpg

Interchange Joure

The Dutch Road Authority has announced they will start procedures to reconstruct the Joure roundabout to a full motorway interchange. A record of decision is expected in 2012.

Current roundabout:
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/189/jouresat.jpg

Solution:
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/7205/joure.png

Interchange Joure

The Dutch Road Authority has announced they will start procedures to reconstruct the Joure roundabout to a full motorway interchange. A record of decision is expected in 2012.


Coming from Heerenveen the A7 thus will change into A6 without taking the exit. It is off course the most logical choice due to the traffic-volumes. I'm just wondering whether this happens more often. I know it happens at Junction Hoogeveen were the A28 changes in A37 going in the direction of Emmen, but are there more?

Another thing: This part of the A6 from Emmeloord used to be called A50. Will the A7 now also change to A6?

Motorway that change number, or where the number continues on a branch rather than on the "direct" route, are common in Switzerland (search A3/A13 near Sargans).

==========

How will be numbered the southern gap of the A4 motorway? A4 or A29?

How will be numbered the southern gap of the A4 motorway? A4 or A29?

A4

So there (http://maps.google.ch/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.780506,4.415774&spn=0.017869,0.038409&z=15) the motorway will change from A29 (to the north) to A4 (to the south)? I knew that this past of A4 was nu,bered A4 to avoid confusion (if not there would be 5 (instead of 4) isolate stretches numbered A4).

When they re-pave the Highways, do they extract a layer of the existing asphalt? What grade of asphalt does the NL use? Is it the same rough grade(like here in the UK)?

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5416/img1869w.jpg

What do these tractors do? I've never seen them on a road construction site in the US before.

Never seen an episode of Bob the Builder?

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLMmyInRY_9kHwWAtuwnczburRIl7BebCze0XjrCRtvk8Ru3g&t=1&usg=__g51aK9P1jD0jujNa7ILMSy7kIpM=p

^^
I was referring to the hopper thingys.

Never seen an episode of Bob the Builder?

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLMmyInRY_9kHwWAtuwnczburRIl7BebCze0XjrCRtvk8Ru3g&t=1&usg=__g51aK9P1jD0jujNa7ILMSy7kIpM=p
:hilarious

^^
I was referring to the hopper thingys.
That looks like some kind of chip seal setup. That's my guess anyway.:dunno:

N217 Kil Tunnel

One of the few toll facilities in the Netherlands is the Kil Tunnel (Dutch: Kiltunnel). It's a 4-lane tunnel, where the N217 provincial highway runs through. It's the only road from Dordrecht to the suburb of 's-Gravendeel (unless you want to take a detour that is 20 times longer).

The toll is € 2 for passenger cars and € 5 for vehicles over 2.3 meters. The problem is you can only pay in cash or by RFID tag. You cannot pay with a debit card or credit card. The tolls are waived when there are incidents on A29 (Heinenoord Tunnel) and traffic needs an alternate route.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/205/kiltunnel1.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7558/kiltunnel2.jpg

The Kiltunnel is maintained by a very special entity, of which only one exists in NL: a tunnelship (tunnelschap).

The Kiltunnel is maintained by a very special entity, of which only one exists in NL: a tunnelship (tunnelschap).

You made me laugh so much... Thanks. Just the association of word Tunnel and group of men working for the same goal... hillarious. Just try to google tunneling term in finance...;)

A4 Leiden

Final approval has been given for the widening of A4 near the city of Leiden. This is the last section between Amsterdam and The Hague that has still only 4 lanes. Rijkswaterstaat has already began widening here, and the council of state has dismissed all appeals by Milieudefensie (environmental defense). The widening of the A4 was one of the last desperate attempts by them to stop road improvements on the grounds of air quality.

http://i52.tinypic.com/20gblet.jpg
120.000 vehicles per day

A28 Zwolle - Meppel

I've been making frequent updates of the Zwolle - Meppel road widening project for the Dutch forums, but I can't remember posting any pictures here.

Scope:
A28 is currently 2x3 between interchange Hattemerbroek and exit Zwolle-Zuid, and has 2x2 lanes between Ommen and interchange Lankhorst. The southern section carries 120.000 vehicles per day, the northern section around 80.000 vehicles per day.

The southern section will be widened from 2x3 to 2x4 lanes over 4 kilometer. The northern section will be widened from 2x2 to 2x3 lanes over 18 kilometer. The whole project started in late June 2010, and will be completed in May 2011, although the physical widening will be completed before Christmas.

Pictures from today:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4992562007_1458c43821_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4992562273_99116aa497_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4993170072_968c64af01_o.jpg

Zwolle is finally becoming a world city ;)

What happens to all those people driving south every day? They never come back?

Everyone is leaving Noord Nederland :(

What Chris meant was that the A28 south of Zwolle carries 120k and 80k to the north of the city. So at least 40.000 cars end up in or near Zwolle every day coming from the south (the number is probably a lot higher).

Everyone is leaving Noord Nederland :(

What Chris meant was that the A28 south of Zwolle carries 120k and 80k to the north of the city. So at least 40.000 cars end up in or near Zwolle every day coming from the south (the number is probably a lot higher).

I totally misread but what you say makes sense now :lol:

Dutch government budget for 2011 has set a 15% increase in all traffic fines, for motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

Yes, pedestrians can be fined too, and that happen more often than thought. I only wish they cracked down unruly pedestrians who don't respect traffic signs in central Amsterdam crossing roads with pedestrian red lights, rushing through the Damrak to catch a tram or ignoring bike lanes, car lanes, tram lanes and so.

Indeed, all fines were increased, including those for public misbehave (€ 108 for urinating in public, for instance) or misuse of public transport (€ 85 for riding a bus/tram/train without a valid proof of payment, for instance).

Is there a fine for anti-social driving? I mean the morons who don't seem to know their cars have indicator lights and that braking in the very last second for a pedestrian crossing doesn't make the pedestrians feel particularly safe or eager to cross.

Yes, article 5 of the highway code (Wegenverkeerswet)

That one should be enforced waaaaay more. I also think refresher courses should be mandatory. Right now you can get your license at age 18 and then nobody will ever ask you a question about road safety or rules ever again. That's no good.

Yes, article 5 of the highway code (Wegenverkeerswet)Article 5 Wvw only applies if the behaviour is (or could be) objectively dangerous. I doubt Slagathor's example of late braking for pedestrian crossings would be qualified that way.

Not using indicator lights is neither likely to be considered dangerous in the way stated in article 5 of the Road Traffic Act (Wvw), as long as you don't (nearly) hit someone. But it is a violation of article 55 of Traffic Rules and Traffic Signs Code (RVV), which requires to use indicator lights in specified situations, and can therefore result in a fine.

That one should be enforced waaaaay more. I also think refresher courses should be mandatory. Right now you can get your license at age 18 and then nobody will ever ask you a question about road safety or rules ever again. That's no good.No, changing rules to the stupid (like having to give way to slow traffic from the right (FVRV)) is no good to me. There's no need to constantly rip someone's pocket just for re-examening, surely because a lot of people in traffic don't need a license at all (peds, cyclists) and have become very assertive last years thanks to stupid laws...

There was rumors in the UK of adopting a 'blame by default' to all vehicle drivers who are involved in accidents with cyclists. apparently that is the law in the Netherlands and Germany? So if I'm driving carefully within the speed limit and a cyclist suddenly does something stupid like come out from a side street without looking and collides with me, then I would be at least 50% to blame. Is this really true? I'm very much in favour of promoting cycling and high quality cycle infrastructure but such rules seem very unfair! I hope I heard wrong!

In The Netherlands there is a difference between 'blame' (schuld) and 'legal liability' (aansprakelijkheid). You are not to blame by default, but you are 'liable by default'.

This is to protect vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists). It does not mean that the motor vehicle is always liable, but he/she is liable by default. Even when he/she is not to blame.

An operator of a motorized vehicle can go to court to fight this though.

What do you mean? A collision with pedestrian occurs, in which a driver broke no rules and pedestrian did, and the driver may have his licence revoked/go to prison and then appeal?

^^ Liability in Roman Law systems usually means civil responsibility and will end up being, as a practical matter, an obligation of the driver's insurer to pay the damages.

If the driver did nothing wrong, I don't think it will have its license confiscated, let alone criminally prosecuted. I guess it works like this.

Rijksweg 15: IC Ressen - Bemmel

A peculiar section of the national highway network (rijkswegen) is the eastern terminus of A15. The A15 motorway ends at interchange Ressen with A325/N325. However, the 2 or so kilometers eastwards to Bemmel fall under the national road authority jurisdiction, but has no road number signed. But A15 is noted on the distance markers.

This section opened in 1979, together with A15 between Valburg and Ressen. It was intended for A15 to continue east towards Enschede. A section of this route has now been signed as A18, but is officially still designated as a part of rijksweg 15.

Map:
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/7639/rijksweg15.jpg

1. The motorway ends, and narrows to one lane at interchange Ressen.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5012168175_e297f03400_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168175/)
RW15-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168175/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2. Officially speaking, the motorway is single lane for another kilometer or so.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5012771932_368427ffbb_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012771932/)
RW15-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012771932/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3. Begin "autoweg" status (Motorroad, express road or expressway)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5012168331_00e3646926_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168331/)
RW15-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168331/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4. Still designated A15, but no number is signed on the signs.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5012168389_1326bedde0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168389/)
RW15-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168389/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5. An overpass, wide enough to accomodate a future motorway. Don't let those embankments fool you.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5012772136_89884d3445_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012772136/)
RW15-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012772136/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6. End of the road.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5012772230_b6d5503193_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012772230/)
RW15-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012772230/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

N323 Prince Willem-Alexander Bridge

Another odd feature in the Netherlands is the N323 east of Tiel. It is a short, 2x2 expressway, that runs from the neck of the woods to the middle of nowhere. Once intended as a secondary route from central Netherlands to Nijmegen, the road opened in 1974 as a toll road. It mainly consists out of the Prince Willem-Alexander Bridge and its approaches. It has an expressway status with a 100 km/h limit. It was tolled until 1996, when tolls were abolished.

This route was never included in motorway programs in the 1930's, 1950's, 1960's or 1970's, but was included in a scheme of main roads in 1966, which did not necessarily reflect all of these routes to be motorways. No A-number was planned for this route, to my knowledge. Approximately 20.000 vehicles use this bridge on a daily basis.

Well, let the pictures speak for themselves:

1. Leaving a construction zone, 100 km/h limit from here.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5012843728_e4a8e84a05_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012843728/)
N323-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012843728/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2. The bridge is under renovation, 36 years after its original opening.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5012239725_0a98c5f00d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239725/)
N323-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239725/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3. We are crossing the Waal River, which is the largest river in the Netherlands by volume. Most of the Rhine River flows into the Waal.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5012239849_4693bdb8aa_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239849/)
N323-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239849/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4. The black/white signs indicate where shoulders end.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5012239929_63e093eb6e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239929/)
N323-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012239929/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5. A typical 1970's bridge, no shoulders, but with facilities for slow traffic. Most river bridges in the Netherlands feature both motorway and slow traffic facilities. The number of bridges is limited, so motorway and slow traffic is often combined on one bridge.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5012844006_1302f7d194_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844006/)
N323-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844006/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6. It is kind of nostalgic to drive here.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5012240053_38360a30ff_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012240053/)
N323-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012240053/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7. I'm not sure where the toll collection point was, but it could've been here, considering the newer pavement.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5012844140_c3eb9a0cb3_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844140/)
N323-7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844140/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8. This new pavement even includes shoulders. Usually when such a road gets repaved, it gets stripped of the shoulder, to make it feel less of a motorway.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5012844210_d0516d009b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844210/)
N323-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844210/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9. Junction with the A15 motorway. End of N323 after 4,6 km.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5012844316_052d2f7939_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844316/)
N323-9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012844316/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

N322 Maas en Waalweg

Another interesting feature in that area is the N322 expressway. Built around 1976, it seems to coincide with the construction of A73 from interchange Ewijk to Venlo at that time. The newer alignment is approximately 9 km long, has the "autoweg" (expressway) status, and has an 100 km/h speed limit. It can be seen as a direct continuation of A73.

Some people have come up with the idea to extend A73 via this route, N323 (see previous post) and other roads to A30, thus creating a new Randstad - Germany direct link. These plans however, are nothing more than wild ideas, there are absolutely no government plans for such a motorway. Another problem is that de N323 bridge is too far west to make sense as a north-south connection from A30 to A73. It should also be noted that A30 wasn't opened until 2004.

Note that the entire N322 has been built with space for a second carriageway. It carries 18.000 - 22.000 vehicles per day.

route on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=N322&daddr=Maas+en+Waal+Weg%2FN322&hl=en&geocode=FYpMFwMdciJXAA%3BFQhvFwMdmDVVAA&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=13&sll=51.86886,5.693836&sspn=0.076422,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=51.86886,5.693665&spn=0.305687,0.617294&z=11)

Pictures:

1. A73 terminates, and becomes the single lane N322 expressway.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5012350183_6057e693bd_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350183/)
N322 mww-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350183/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2. There is no median on this road.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5012350243_7d4ac8f5e3_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350243/)
N322 mww-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350243/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3. Passing is also banned at all times for the entire route.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5012350305_6e9dc8bef0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350305/)
N322 mww-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350305/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4. Exit Deest. This is old-school signage. Must of the signage of this style on non-motorway has been replaced by redesign signage.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5012350355_b8a2f77750_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350355/)
N322 mww-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350355/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012350425_e595040e6d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350425/)
N322 mww-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350425/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6. Exit Deest.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5012954160_52bdc88bbc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954160/)
N322 mww-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954160/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7. Notice the extra space for another two lanes.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5012350525_3c722117e4_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350525/)
N322 mww-7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350525/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8. Texaco gas station.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5012954364_f41a40a24e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954364/)
N322 mww-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954364/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9. Exit Druten. Off-peak traffic is not very significant on this route, as it doesn't serve any through traffic.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5012350841_b0f40f7cae_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350841/)
N322 mww-9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350841/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

10. This is redesign signage.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5012350889_de3e6d3f31_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350889/)
N322 mww-10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350889/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

11.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5012350931_f049b18dbc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350931/)
N322 mww-11 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012350931/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

12.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5012954648_5be5d3b991_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954648/)
N322 mww-12 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954648/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

13. End of the expressway. An extension (realignment actually) is currently under construction, but will feature two roundabouts and a traffic light.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5012954710_12c3811655_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954710/)
N322 mww-13 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954710/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

14. Speed limit drops from 100 to 30 km/h, including speed bumps.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5012954772_5bb231cf6a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954772/)
N322 mww-14 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012954772/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

The double white line really looks more distinct with a shaded green inside. Although there's no overtaking opportunities. Still good space in between the lanes.

What do you mean? A collision with pedestrian occurs, in which a driver broke no rules and pedestrian did, and the driver may have his licence revoked/go to prison and then appeal?In case of a collision between a car and a pedestrian or a cyclist, the driver of the car will be held liable unless he can prove that he is not to blame.

Normally, it would be the other way around. A pedestrian or cyclist who accuses the car driver of dangerous driving would have to deliver evidence. But that appeared to be very hard to prove; how can you deliver evidence that someone was driving reckless? Therefore they changed the law; a car driver should watch weaker traffic and do whatever is needed to prevent accidents.

If there is an accident and it is clear that the car driver did whatever he could and/or it is clear that the collision was caused by the behaviour of the pedestrian/cyclist, then it's the pedestrian/cyclist who will be held liable, of course.

Rijksweg 15: IC Ressen - Bemmel

A peculiar section of the national highway network (rijkswegen) is the eastern terminus of A15. The A15 motorway ends at interchange Ressen with A325/N325. However, the 2 or so kilometers eastwards to Bemmel fall under the national road authority jurisdiction, but has no road number signed. But A15 is noted on the distance markers.4. Still designated A15, but no number is signed on the signs.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5012168389_1326bedde0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168389/)
RW15-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5012168389/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr
That seems to be a mistake. An autoweg (expressway) can never have an A-number. This road should be signed as "N15", which is the official road number between IC Ressen and Bemmel. Those distance markers need to be changed or replaced a.s.a.p. as they could confuse drivers about the status of the road.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?hl=nl&ie=UTF8&ll=51.958371,4.230053&spn=0,0.002411&z=19&layer=c&cbll=51.958519,4.229964&panoid=gQmel_uEenrddeJN9cvuIQ&cbp=12,339.63,,0,4.9

They also did it wrong here. Officialy the A20 ends here, and the N213 begins. The autoweg signs are also clearly visibile. But they still put A20 distance markers all the way to the next intersection.

N201 Aalsmeer - Hoorn

An impressive provincial project is the realignment of the N201 highway. The N201 is one of the busiest non-motorways in the Netherlands with a peak traffic volume of 60.000 vehicles per day.

The new alignment will be grade-separated and feature 2x2 lanes.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/184/n201au.jpg

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/5995/n201sh.jpg

aerial:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/Bulk/IMG_5960-900.jpg

The existing N201 interchange will be replaced by two new ones, with a grand total of 16 lanes between them. Quintessential Dutch, they will say in 20 years :D
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4463/a4n201.jpg

The existing N201 interchange will be replaced by two new ones, with a grand total of 16 lanes between them. Quintessential Dutch, they will say in 20 years :DLooks like the two new ones are only on the outer carriageways (is the plan to have the whole A5 to A44 section of A4 widened to four carriageways? It would certainly make quite a bit of sense), <silly semantics> Unless those outer carriageways have 8 lanes each, it's not 16 lanes between them, but a 16 lane cross-section on the A4 between them. </silly semantics>.

It has been suggested to extend the parallel structure to the Burgerveen interchange (A4/A44). There will be 5 interchanges within 9 km, and at a projected traffic volume of 260.000 vehicles per day, it could become problematic.

De Hoek intechange to the bridgerestaurant will be 2-5-5-2 with additional lanes for weaving traffic: that makes 16 altogether. The section between the bridgerestaurant and Burgerveen interchange will remain 2x5 for the moment.

All 4 lanes have been opened on the southbound A2 between IC Everdingen and IC Deil. This effectively eliminated a 20 kilometer daily traffic jam! :cheers:

Camera image:
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6351/a2cameverdingen.jpg

Before today, the right lanes (southbound) were queued up pretty badly. Even the serious rain we have today does not create congestion.

Another great improvement on our superhighway!

Some aerial eyecandy of the A2/N2 around Eindhoven.

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/6819/randweg1.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3821/randweg2.jpg

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/8720/randweg3.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3638/randweg4.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3494/randweg5.jpg

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/5082/randweg6.jpg

Another nice project in northern Netherlands is the widening of N33 to 2x2 lanes, and replacing the N33/N34 roundabout with a dive-under:

http://www.n33.nl/images/stories/Rotonde%20Gieten_6111.jpg

When is that N33 project planned to be finished?

Stunning stuff, as can be expected from NL.

Stunning stuff, as can be expected from NL.

I'd say the Dutch road construction improved dramatically compared to the lean 1980's and 1990's (and even early 2000's). The current construction boom is the biggest one since the early 70's, I think.

This can be attributed to a number of factors;

* Air quality is now dealt with in a different way, such that projects do not need to be surveyed individually if they are part of a government program to improve air quality. This left the anti-car brigade with few other options to frustrate road widening schemes.
* Air quality is constantly improving. Contrary to popular belief, PM10 emissions (particle matter) by road traffic adds very little to overall concentrations. NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) emissions by traffic is much bigger, but is dealt with by the tight norms of the Euro norms, thus air quality isn't the obstacle it once was.
* A special commission has been set up to survey how road building procedures can be eased, without losing out on democratic rights. This reduced the average procedure time from 11 to 3 years.
* Our last transport minister, Camiel Eurlings, did a great job getting new projects through, some of which had been stalled since the 1960's. Over 75 road projects have been executed during his tenure, more than several other ministers preceding him combined.
* The crisis- and recovery act opened up additional funding for road construction projects to improve the economy. Money seems to be almost no issue now, the amount of money spent on road projects between 2006 and 2015 will be mind-boggling compared to the 2 preceding decades. Dutch motorists are now finally getting what they're paid for.

When is that N33 project planned to be finished?The dive-unders under the roundabout near Gieten will be opened on April 1st 2011. Initially in an 1x2 expressway setup, but fully prepared for the widening to 2x2 expressway which is planned for the near future. Current planning shows the widening should be completed in 2014. This is the initial lay-out of the new Gieten Roundabout, with just 1x2 through the dive-unders:
http://www.arthurkamminga.nl/extern/n34gieten.gif

Unfortunately, the proposed cloverleaf interchange at Zuidbroek (highway A7) has been replaced by two roundabouts with bypasses in the latest plans. It's a flaw, but they had to cut spending.

Why don't they just widen it to 2x3? Widening is not cheap and when you have 1x1 road and leave space for widening, why not just widen it to 2x3 and save yourself trouble of construction every 10 years?

I just grabbed this article on RNW:

================
The incoming right-wing government in the Netherlands is planning a huge motorway building drive, despite the need for drastic cuts in the national budget. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

According to leaked documents quoted by daily De Telegraaf the government programme includes an increase of "hundreds of millions of euros" on the current budget for motorway construction and maintenance, which is three billion euros a year.

The additional spending is aimed at fighting traffic jams, which in the view of the free-market liberal VVD party are hampering the economy. It is not clear whether the new government will make similar extra investments in public transport, nor for that matter have any cuts in rail and bus service funding been indicated.

Multi-billion cuts
Over a four-year period, the VVD-led government is planning spending reductions of up to 16 billion euros to counter the effects of the economic and banking crisis of the last two years.

The budget plans are provisional, because the right-wing coalition is not in office yet. It is expected that the coalition accord between VVD and Christian Democrats will be sealed by MPs this week, followed by a declaration of support from the 24 Freedom Party MPs who are needed to give the cabinet majority support in parliament.

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Another example of the lack of reality by Dutch policy makers. The N242 was downgraded from 100 km/h to 80 km/h a while ago.

The police did a speed check. Out of 489 drivers checked, 489 drivers exceeded the speed limit. Not a single driver was obeying the speed limit! The highest recorded speed was 111 km/h.

Please, Netherlands, return to common sense!

I just grabbed this article on RNW:

================
The incoming right-wing government in the Netherlands is planning a huge motorway building drive, despite the need for drastic cuts in the national budget. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

According to leaked documents quoted by daily De Telegraaf the government programme includes an increase of "hundreds of millions of euros" on the current budget for motorway construction and maintenance, which is three billion euros a year.

The additional spending is aimed at fighting traffic jams, which in the view of the free-market liberal VVD party are hampering the economy. It is not clear whether the new government will make similar extra investments in public transport, nor for that matter have any cuts in rail and bus service funding been indicated.

Multi-billion cuts
Over a four-year period, the VVD-led government is planning spending reductions of up to 16 billion euros to counter the effects of the economic and banking crisis of the last two years.

The budget plans are provisional, because the right-wing coalition is not in office yet. It is expected that the coalition accord between VVD and Christian Democrats will be sealed by MPs this week, followed by a declaration of support from the 24 Freedom Party MPs who are needed to give the cabinet majority support in parliament.

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
I fully agree with that reasoning. I am far, far, far more open to spending public treasure on capital infrastructure upgrades (and the maintenance thereof) than I am to throw it into the bottomless pit of social programs - this precisely because road, rail, etc upgrades are economic enablers, allowing for more wholesome, long-term private-sector economic activity to flourish. And when I promote this opinion in domestic political discussions here in the USA, I also flatly state that I will *NEVER* *EVER* tout how many jobs are 'created' by the act of building the upgrades as those jobs will all go 'poof!' as soon as the projects are completed - it is the economic enabling aspects, the more fluid nature of commerce that the projects will allow, that I champion.

:cheers1:

Mike

A video of the new 4-lane southbound carriageway on A2 from IC Everdingen to IC Deil:

IfkRPJqiC0E

From RNW:


The Qur'an will not be banned, headscarves will not be taxed, and Muslims will not be deported en masse. Geert Wilders did not get everything he wanted in the coalition agreement between the conservative VVD and the Christian Democrats, propped up by his own Freedom Party (PVV).

So what did Mr Wilders get in return for supporting this minority cabinet? These are the main PVV points:


There will be a complete ban on burqas, and police and justice employees will not be allowed to wear headscarves;
Conditional passports for new immigrants - to be withdrawn if they commit crimes in the first five years;
The pension age will only be raised to 66 not 67;
An extra 2,500 police officers;
Animal police will be introduced. 500 officers will look after the welfare of animals in the Netherlands;
The duration of unemployment benefit payments will not be reduced;
Maximum speed on the motorway will be increased to 130 kilometres per hour;
The current smoking ban will be lifted for small cafés


Complete article here: http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-coalition-agreement-whats-it-wilders

Will or only might?

And how about all these no-passing-roads?

If you don't consider the anti-Islam points, Geert Wilders is almost as leftist as the socialist party...

"Far-right" labelling of national socialists seems a smear to me that has polluted the water. Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement keeps on getting called "fascist" by the British media, but as far as I can see it's economically the opposite, and has the opposite doctrine of the state - instead of all powerful it's limited government that they want.

And we had lots of talk about a 'liberal alliance' between the Labour and Lib Dem parties after the election - despite Labour being the least liberal of the parties who won seats (the Green party are are about the same - more economically authoritarian, but more socially liberal).

The UK Labour party at the last election were basically politically the same as the 'far-right' BNP, other than on the EU, the death penalty, homosexuality (where they were nearly at opposite sides of the spectrum - the BNP wanting to ban any speech that, while discussing the topic wasn't anti-, and Labour wanting to ban any speech that wasn't pro-) and deporting immigrants. Both want to have a fairly controlled economy, both wanted to be socially authoritarian (and Labour came higher there than the Tories). The BNP get votes from white working class people, mostly in ex-industrial towns - natural Labour territory - but time after time the media talks as if they are the Tories turned up to 11, rather than Labour.

One can only guess that the Freedom party can only be in the coalition because the other two parties are socially a bit authoritarian, as the dominant axis in mainstream Western politics is that social authoritarianism is inversely proportional to economic authoritarianism, which seems odd to me. We call socially authoritarian right wing, and economic authoritarian left wing, but with some people who are authoritarian with both (Labour under Brown, National Socialists) we go all weird - using 'right-wing' like a term of derision (like the right in the USA use 'socialist') for the parties we rightly don't like, but then go all dewy-eyed and call parties 'liberal' because they are economically authoritarian, but aren't quite socially-authoritarian enough to support hanging, arresting homosexuals and deporting immigrants. Madness.

Video: A59 Den Bosch - Oss

A short video (3 minutes) of the relatively new (completed 2005) motorway A59 between Den Bosch (also spelled: 's-Hertogenbosch) and interchange Paalgraven near Oss.

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A2: 4 lanes IC Everdingen - IC Deil

The southbound carriageway of A2 between interchanges Everdingen and Deil opened with 4 lanes last Monday. Here are some pictures from Wednesday.

1. KP Everdingen, 3e rijstrook komt erbij.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5042579590_01384a913d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042579590/)IMG_5049 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042579590/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2. 4e rijstrook komt erbij. 4 rijstroken voor de komende 15 kilometer.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5041955223_ba37437f0d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955223/)IMG_5051 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955223/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3. viaduct Autenasekade.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5041955263_16c8cd4a9d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955263/)IMG_5052 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955263/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4. Lekker breed. Alle files zijn als sneeuw voor de zon verdwenen.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5041955353_f9a871340d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955353/)IMG_5054 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955353/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5. Geen linker vluchtstroken.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5041955421_ff60197351_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955421/)IMG_5055 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955421/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6. Afrit Everdingen.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5042579982_2fed181a62_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042579982/)IMG_5056 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042579982/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7. Culemborg is niet veel verder. Vroeger wel, qua tijd dan...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5041955525_c9861d9b2e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955525/)IMG_5057 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955525/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8. De afrit Culemborg heeft een gigantisch lange uitvoegstrook, misschien wel 1 kilometer.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5042580124_f6b09e70d0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580124/)IMG_5058 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580124/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9. Nog steeds afrit Culemborg.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5041955629_1618a5895b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955629/)IMG_5059 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955629/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

10. Afstanden.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5041955693_48092e738d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955693/)IMG_5060 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955693/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

11. Dit is een wildbrug meen ik.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5041955781_b30a49a268_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955781/)IMG_5061 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041955781/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

12. Wat een ruimte. De A2 is echt onherkenbaar veranderd.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5042580408_09cbafc555_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580408/)IMG_5062 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580408/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

13. Afrit Beesd. Weer een giga uitvoegstrook.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5042580492_217540079d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580492/)IMG_5063 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580492/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

14. Veel meer dan Beesd valt er desondanks niet te melden...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5042580566_fe68b5769b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580566/)IMG_5064 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580566/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

15. Dit was vroeger 2 rijstroken zonder vluchtstrook... Nu 4 rijstroken, een weefstrook én een vluchtstrook.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5042580632_83af204515_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580632/)IMG_5065 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580632/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

16. Én je mag hier 120 km/h. :)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5041956009_579af8e3de_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956009/)IMG_5066 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956009/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

17. Mega geluidsscherm. Toch denk ik dat het verkeer stiller is dan voor de verbreding. Dit soort 2L ZOAB helpt enorm daarbij.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5041956061_3a7861104c_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956061/)IMG_5067 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956061/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

18. Aankondiging KP Deil en afrit Geldermalsen.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5042580768_350cfc07a2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580768/)IMG_5068 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580768/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

19.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5042580824_7ec5133d2b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580824/)IMG_5069 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042580824/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

20. Voor de liefhebbers: McDonalds.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5041956179_a5d53dc22d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956179/)IMG_5070 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956179/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

21. 5 rijstroken. Het kan niet op hier.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5041956261_5d2dd8f5cf_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956261/)IMG_5072 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956261/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

22. NBA
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5041956315_dddfd89f60_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956315/)IMG_5073 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956315/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

23. E-nummers prominent op de borden (ik ben daar niet zo'n fan van. Bovendien is de A15 een oost-westsnelweg, maar de E31 een noord-zuidnummer)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5041956427_ec2371ab8b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956427/)IMG_5075 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5041956427/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

24. 2x3 doorgaande rijstroken in knooppunt Deil.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5042581212_c1f09cc42b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042581212/)IMG_5076 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042581212/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

25. De nieuwe fly-over voor verkeer van Utrecht naar Tiel is nog in aanleg.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5042581286_91b255352a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042581286/)IMG_5077 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5042581286/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

^^ What did you drunk? You messed up English and Dutch! :nuts:

Reminiscent of the MKAD super highway with multiple lanes. Very well planned and designed.

^Wish the M25 had surfaces like that! The recent widenings seem to have been opened but the surfaces are very piecemeal and rubbish.

A1 Hengelo-Germany

Chris and I made a small trip today, to have a look at the A1. This section of the A1 was one of the last stretches of concrete motorway in the Netherlands. It has recently been repaved and it has been open for a few months now. I've made a selection of 20 pics, if you want to see the complete set (44 pictures), look here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/sets/72157625085890136/).

1. Turning eastwards onto the A1 from the A35.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5047527258_fd41040576_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047527258/)
A35 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047527258/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

2. We're going underneath the railway track Almelo-Hengelo.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5047581038_09a93f393b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047581038/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047581038/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

3. Viaduct.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5047586160_3e49c51575_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047586160/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047586160/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

4. Another one.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5046966969_7cb67dfa96_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046966969/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046966969/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

5. Exit Hengelo-Noord.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5046971309_8200ce6d77_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046971309/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046971309/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

6. Many parked trucks at rest area Lonnekermeer.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5046975135_4c77dcce7b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046975135/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046975135/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

7. The road quality is excellent :)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5047599592_2d5d48a4ef_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047599592/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047599592/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

8. Exit Oldenzaal, zoomed in.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5047602744_abed88dacd_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047602744/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047602744/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

9. Exit Oldenzaal-Zuid.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5046984991_18537d4713_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046984991/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046984991/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

10. The border is about 10 km away.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5047608288_f772fe1fc4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047608288/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047608288/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

11. Leaves.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/5046990499_b572ce0b99_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046990499/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046990499/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

12. Ecoduct.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5047615318_92e6fbd099_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047615318/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047615318/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

13. Today is not the busiest day of the year.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5047618020_a5cd70ea5a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047618020/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047618020/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

14. Crossing the Hengelo-Bad Bentheim railway line.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5046997733_bc7c4f1512_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046997733/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046997733/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

15. Exit De Lutte, the last one before the border.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5047000267_edb3952351_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047000267/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047000267/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

16. The border is getting close now.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5046949347_c68065bf4b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046949347/)
A1 in the Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046949347/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

17. The Bundespolizei is waiting for you behind the viaduct.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5047574438_a9b34fc082_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047574438/)
A1 in The Netherlands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047574438/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

18. At the border. The difference in road quality is very well visible. Smooth asphalt on the Dutch side, old concrete on the German side.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5046954685_094f3e20c7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046954685/)
Dutch-German border near De Lutte (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046954685/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

19. This shit.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5047578438_f416f7420f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047578438/)
A30 in Germany (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5047578438/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

20. Road markings have completely disappeared on some places.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5046957479_d4ae67222a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046957479/)
A30 in Germany (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5046957479/) by Timon91 (http://www.flickr.com/people/timon91/), on Flickr

That's it again, I hope that you liked it! :cheers:

Sorry to say that, byt for me the German section has far more soul than the Dutch one which is apparently being repaved every two weeks ;)

We have too much money ;)

Anyway, this concrete section was between 18 and 25 years old, so not very old, but I've read they'd used inferior concrete, not reinforced, because at that time, the late 80's, early 90's, Germany was still partitioned in East and West Germany, not to mention the Iron Curtain, so truck traffic back in those days was nothing like it is today.

The Dutch sections look more maintained when I look at the median and side embankments, the German sections look less maintained by comparison.

^^ That's maybe because the grass sections within the right-of-ways of Dutch highways (and most other roads) are being mowed twice a year. The embankments and ditches also get extensive maintenance, although it's very expensive. But it's inevitable as good drainage is very important in a flat and densely populated country like The Netherlands.

In Germany, many highways have bushes and even small trees in their medians, something unthinkable on Dutch highways. The same difference can be seen with the right-of-ways of railroads: in The Netherlands, four meters out of the tracks will be cleared, and there is always a ditch or a fence to prevent unauthorized access to the right-of-way.

I agree the German autobahns have much more "soul". In fact, The Netherlands is one big well-planned park with almost no rough terrain or abandoned buildings or infrastructure. This makes our landscape a bit dull. In my opinion, the Dutch "planning mania" is a little bit over the top, with the strictly planned suburbs (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=560898) as the best example. It's funny you can always inmediately notice the differences when you cross the border.

^^

I assumed having bushes/small trees on grass would mean increased drainage due to their dependence on water to grow? It's actually better to see the medians and embankments maintained like in the NL. Having lots of overgrowth restricts the view and decreases a drivers judgment to re-gain control in the event their car accidentally enters the median at 120km/h. That's why wide medians are sometimes better than overgrown ones. Hitting a medium sized tree trunk would be like hitting a brick wall.

I agree, the maintenance cost would be quite high: I guess that would explain why road tax is over EUR 1,000 per annum in the NL. That's one of the highest rates I've ever seen.

A29 Vaanplein - Barendrecht

The record of decision to widen the southbound carriageway of A29 from 3 to 4 lanes has become irrevocable today. A rare situation emerged that not a single appeal was made. It has to be noted this project is not very spectacular, the merging lane from interchange Vaanplein will be extended to exit Barendrecht by some 650 meters, so that traffic from A15 can flow uninterrupted with 2 lanes towards the south.

Traffic has increased significantly on this part of A29 in recent years, due to the development of the Rotterdam suburb of Barendrecht, which grew by 10,000 houses in the last 10 years, nearly doubling the population.

Approximately 101,000 vehicles use this section of A29 on a daily basis.

Another A2 video, it just doesn't stop.

Interchange Deil -> Interchange Hintham, showcasing the recently widened A2 to six lanes. It used to be the worst congestion spot in the whole country, now it is traffic jam-free, even at rush hour. Another big thumbs up for Rijkswaterstaat!

RZICyQNU7Es

It has been speculated Mrs. Melanie Schultz will be the next minister of waterworks and transportation. She was already secretary of transportation in two tenures between 2002 and 2007. She belongs to the liberal VVD party, generally viewed as the most pro-road party in the Netherlands, so that seems to be good news to keep the pace minister Eurlings has started with the massive overhaul of Dutch motorways.

It seems fairly certain that Mrs. Melanie Schultz will be the next minister of transportation. The new ministry will be a merger of infrastructure, environment and spatial planning, the former ministries of V&W and VROM. This could be interesting, as not two, but only one minister need to agree on highway construction. This could speed up road projects, as decision can be made faster.

It's about time they merged those two. So many of their departments were already overlapping. The civil servants working there had each other on speed dial for goodness' sake :D

I dont know if merging enviroment ministry with construction or industry character ministries is desirable... sure it could speed up things. But it somehow jeopardize the point of existence of this ministry at all. The ministry of envirement mostly should stand from definition against other ministries and oppose their projects (however in constructive way) as well as ministry of finance (or treasury) should oppose the projects of other ministries from the financial point of view...

There was never a separate environment ministry in the Netherlands. It is currently a branch of VROM (Housing, Spatial planning and Environment), which is a small ministry compared to Traffic & Waterworks (2,000 vs 9,000 employees).

Merging these ministries will not compromise environmental matters, as European and Dutch law still has to be followed, but merely speed up decisive processes as only one minister need to sign legislature.

Oh, interesting... Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the countryside is industrial, urban or cultural... not really much of environment that would need to be protected? So yeah in reality its more spatial planning...

Its anyway funny, some time ago I thought that I am safe from politics for real in NL, but it hounts me now too as I start to read the dutch news... :O.

Well, I think you can conclude all of the Netherlands is more or less artificial. Most of our natural areas are build by the Dutch government. They actively buy farmland to turn into natural areas. If trees need to be cut for any development (highway, rail, housing, industry, etc) they need to be compensated elsewhere, so the total amount of surface area with trees will not decrease.

Sometimes this controlling of all aspects of the Netherlands is a bit over the top in my opinion.

Recently and for a short period of time Italy splitted the minister of transportation in one dedicated to transportation and one to infrastructures.

^^^^ I concluded that after some time around :(. But The Ilands and Waterzee still stand for some nature :). I see no other way around the tighter control with the given geographical and social conditions of the country. I am of the impression it is still much better than New York and the surroundings :).

^^^^ I concluded that after some time around :(. But The Ilands and Waterzee still stand for some nature :). I see no other way around the tighter control with the given geographical and social conditions of the country. I am of the impression it is still much better than New York and the surroundings :).

The problem is not with control, but overcontrol... The real state property system in Netherlands is too confusing, the right to develop your own land plot simply doesn't exist, for instance.

The problem is not with control, but overcontrol... The real state property system in Netherlands is too confusing, the right to develop your own land plot simply doesn't exist, for instance.

I dont know what you mean with the right to develop your own plot... If you mean, that you cannot just simply decide to do on the land you own whatever you want, but that you have to first bargain with the authorities... well this is quite common in the whole Europe I guess. I would say, that this should be understandable, especially in the land, which own existence is depending on carefull planning and land shaping. Without the hundreds years old planning the whole country would have been already washed away, or so hugelly reshaped that you wouldnt recognize it... However, if you would want to have the right to "freely develop" your plot you could travel to countries as e.g. Bangladesh for comparison.

I dont know what you mean with the right to develop your own plot... If you mean, that you cannot just simply decide to do on the land you own whatever you want, but that you have to first bargain with the authorities... well this is quite common in the whole Europe I guess.

Let me try to ellaborate a little more. I'm anot condoning Bangladesh-style development, just US-style.

Every civilized rich country has its own planning laws. However, in some countries a general regulation system applies, whereas you find detailed, specific but general norms and rules about what and how something can be built somewhere. So you have the laws, you check them, and provided you stay within its framework, you are relatively free to build as you want.

Netherlands and other countries, however, opt for an ex-post analysis of development projects. They also have a lot of general applicable laws, but decide to introduce lengthy, costly and, in my opinion, overstretched and excessive requirements for hearings, technical appraisals and evaluations and so on, to the point that a would-be developed can't just look at the law and plan a development in the dark to surprise the market and grab a good spot of land to especulate with construction activiy years later.

Let me try to ellaborate a little more. I'm anot condoning Bangladesh-style development, just US-style.

Every civilized rich country has its own planning laws. However, in some countries a general regulation system applies, whereas you find detailed, specific but general norms and rules about what and how something can be built somewhere. So you have the laws, you check them, and provided you stay within its framework, you are relatively free to build as you want.

Netherlands and other countries, however, opt for an ex-post analysis of development projects. They also have a lot of general applicable laws, but decide to introduce lengthy, costly and, in my opinion, overstretched and excessive requirements for hearings, technical appraisals and evaluations and so on, to the point that a would-be developed can't just look at the law and plan a development in the dark to surprise the market and grab a good spot of land to especulate with construction activiy years later.


As I said, quite common in Europe. It has several reasons, the most important one being the scarcity of land and more concern for the social space be it litterally or in the society(societel?) sense as well as bigger concern about something called public good.

Also once you take into account externalities, you would realise that these are also handled differently in the US and in Europe. In the US are mostly handled by the private fights at the court and the stronger takes it all... In Europe are mostly handled by those hearings and processes you mention. I dont want to jump into economic theory on externalities and transaction costs (Coase), but I must say, that based on it I prefer the European way.

The bangladesh example wasnt given just out of blue to compare rich and poor country. It was given, because both countries experience similar geographicall conditions. The approach that these two countries took towards the problem of laying in the deltas of huge rivers (yes I am aware that Ganga is bit different leage) has been different. What I want to point out is the simple fact, taht without carefull planning of the land use and setup, the crown of holland could be washed away one day... literally. I just remember about the story I heard about these tribes over Rhine living on the heapes of land in the mudd...the description of the NL by the Romans :O, thats the starting point here.

But I dont deny that these processes might be bit overdone... of course there are lots of parties interested in as costly process as possible...the rent seekers. In general however I cannot imagine that we could do the same thing here in Europe like they do it in america... "Develop", earn their share, let it rot and move few thousand yards away... the result... "suburbs developement".

To close it. I might be a bit ideological on one point anyway. I think that the ultimate concept of "owning" the land (earth) is more a joke than a reality. Yes we can own some rights with respect to the use of the certain area of the land given the sociaty allows us and respects these rights. Thats anyway the notion of any ownership or possesion. The only reson why it is possible to "own" the land is because it is possible to build a fence... same reason why it is not yet possible to own the air...:O.

Without the interference the Dutch made with mother nature since the 17th century, much of the Netherlands would consist of marshy swamps and large lakes, with a belt of dunes along the North Sea coast. We changed the course of major rivers, built tens of thousand of kilometers of dikes, control the water level from a small stream to a major river, control the water flow of rivers to the sea, we shortened our coast line by 650 kilometers using the Delta Works, which are considered one of the 7 modern wonders of the world, and have generally an extremely high level of control in all aspects of our environment.

So then, basically, those Dutch Envirowackos are pretty much blowing a lot of hot air in that so precious little of Nederlands is as nature made it. Yes, Nederlands is a very 'green' place, but it is a very un-natural green. Those quaint, touristy windmills? They were built to power the pumps that kept that un-natural land dry.

What percentage of Nederlands' land area is below sea level?

Also, is it possible that we may, within our lifetimes, see the Dutch reclaim even more land from the sea?

Mike

^^

The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying country, with about 20% of its area and 21% of its population located below sea level,[8] with 50% of its land lying less than one metre above sea level.[9]

At this time there's one big land reclamation project going on to expand the Port of Rotterdam called the "Tweede Maasvlakte", it's featured in the 10th episode of the 4th season of Build It Bigger from Discovery Science if you're interested. It's an area of about 2.000 hectares, of which 510 hectares of waterways/basins, so 1.490 hectares of land (14,9 sq. km/5,75 sq. mi).

I am not sure of the planning of any more of these projects in the near future for the whole of the country. I do know there's talks about building a new borough of Almere on even more reclaimed land in the future.

So then, basically, those Dutch Envirowackos are pretty much blowing a lot of hot air in that so precious little of Nederlands is as nature made it. Yes, Nederlands is a very 'green' place, but it is a very un-natural green. Those quaint, touristy windmills? They were built to power the pumps that kept that un-natural land dry.

What percentage of Nederlands' land area is below sea level?

Also, is it possible that we may, within our lifetimes, see the Dutch reclaim even more land from the sea?

Mike

Well, the coastline has been there since the last Ice Age, so the reclaimed land were the swamps, pet deposits and marshland mostly in the West and Northwest of the country.

Theoretically, it would be quite easy to reclaim land in the Markermeer (which was dammed for that purpose) and at the IJselmeer.

In the south, if the want, they could reclaim all the water bodies in Zeeland, though it would require extensive dike construction in the outlet left to drain the nearby rivers.

^^

At this time there's one big land reclamation project going on to expand the Port of Rotterdam called the "Tweede Maasvlakte"...

Technically this is not reclamation, since this area isn't a part of the country that was lost to the sea in some flood. It's new land which has never before been part of the Netherlands as such.

I know, I was struggling with that when writing my post, but it seems to be used in this way :) See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reclamation

Technically this is not reclamation, since this area isn't a part of the country that was lost to the sea in some flood. It's new land which has never before been part of the Netherlands as such.

Ever heard about Doggerland ? ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doggerland

If I'm correct, the term "reclaiming" does not refer to lands once lost to the sea only, but to any new lands claimed from the sea, lakes or rivers.

Well done, everyone. Finally a foreigner shows some interest in our history and you've scared him away by all this preposterous nitpicking on the exact definition of 'reclamation'.

Now we'll never see Mike again :(

Just waitin' for the bridge.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/5075888047_3e4f36317a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5075888047/)Ketelbrug (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5075888047/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

I'm curious as to why an open grid steel deck isn't used on movable bridges, not only in the Netherlands, but Europe in general. :dunno: It would certainly cut down on the weight of the movable span.

Newly widened A2 between interchange Deil and interchange Everdingen, south of Utrecht. A map is shown in the video for reference.

It is possible to watch this video full-screen as it is recorded in Full HD.

P4AYmFM7I58

I'm curious as to why an open grid steel deck isn't used on movable bridges, not only in the Netherlands, but Europe in general. :dunno: It would certainly cut down on the weight of the movable span.

Did you ever brake on a 'open grid steel span' ?
I think that's why it isn't used.

Newly widened A2 between interchange Deil and interchange Everdingen, south of Utrecht. A map is shown in the video for reference.

It is possible to watch this video full-screen as it is recorded in Full HD.


Wow, superhighway A2 through Netherlands. I have to try that in some years if the sea has no flooded it before!
And now I have got a better computer so no 240p needed. Although it was there...

Some pictures of the same section:

1.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/5079008884_0f8806f5c9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079008884/)
A2-13-10-2010-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079008884/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/5079008984_1130d80188_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079008984/)
A2-13-10-2010-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079008984/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5078415429_bb9b1fd5c9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078415429/)
A2-13-10-2010-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078415429/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5079009108_8b839c7f30_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009108/)
A2-13-10-2010-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009108/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5079009184_bb7c81c14b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009184/)
A2-13-10-2010-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009184/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/5079009302_1a9dcd6287_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009302/)
A2-13-10-2010-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009302/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/5079009348_db60da4243_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009348/)
A2-13-10-2010-7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009348/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/5079009434_e447f87c96_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009434/)
A2-13-10-2010-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009434/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9. Dit autootje reed bij knooppunt Eemnes nog voor me.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/5078415913_2360b047dd_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078415913/)
A2-13-10-2010-9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078415913/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

10.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/5079009588_5883205bd7_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009588/)
A2-13-10-2010-10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009588/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

11.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5079009636_f1f1eda421_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009636/)
A2-13-10-2010-11 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009636/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

12.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/5078416147_6b3f66b144_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416147/)
A2-13-10-2010-12 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416147/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

13.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/5078416221_56eea45e13_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416221/)
A2-13-10-2010-13 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416221/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

14.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5079009876_95437038f8_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009876/)
A2-13-10-2010-14 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079009876/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

15.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5078416485_f1a5490104_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416485/)
A2-13-10-2010-15 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416485/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

16.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/5078416575_e999457bf1_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416575/)
A2-13-10-2010-16 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416575/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

17.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/5079010088_c4cfcf0a36_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079010088/)
A2-13-10-2010-17 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079010088/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

18.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5078416739_5da382bb5b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416739/)
A2-13-10-2010-18 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5078416739/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

19.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/5079010226_8d641fee8a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079010226/)
A2-13-10-2010-19 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5079010226/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

What says the sign at photo 16?

"wear seatbelts - also in the back seats"

That doesn't apply to me though, as I don't have any back seats :D

A render of the widening works of A4 currently in progress. Because the exit Hoofddorp will be relocated, they will build additional C/D lanes, to widen the whole thing from 10 to 14 lanes.

K5AueFMsGiY

A4 Amsterdam - Den Haag

A fairly impressive project is the construction of exit 3a, Hoofddorp-Zuid, with a C/D system between 3a and 3 (Hoofddorp). Exit 3 will also be moved south, to connect to the current U/C realignment of the N201 highway, the busiest non-motorway in the Netherlands.

This means there will be 14 lanes near Hoofddorp. Further plans foresee a complete C/D system between interchange Burgerveen (A44) and interchange De Hoek (A5), going from 10 to 14 lanes over 8 kilometers. This ultra-wide rural motorway will substitute older plans for more motorways in the region that never came into fruition, like A22 between Haarlem and Leiden and A3 from Amsterdam to Gouda. Calling off these plans doesn't mean the traffic wouldn't be there. The current rural volumes are 180.000 vehicles per day, and are forecast to grow to 250.000 vehicles per day in 2020, mainly due to the ever-expanding activity in and around Schiphol Airport, and the continuous expansion of the city of Hoofddorp.

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4337/a4burgerveendehoek.png

A render of the widening works of A4 currently in progress. Because the exit Hoofddorp will be relocated, they will build additional C/D lanes, to widen the whole thing from 10 to 14 lanes.

K5AueFMsGiY

There are also plans for a new tunnel under the Maas River in the Port of Rotterdam area. The current westernmost fixed link is the Benelux Tunnel, almost 30 kilometers inland. The area is extremely industrialized with the largest industrial area in Europe. Port expansions require additional routes under the Maas River, to connect A15 with A20 west of Rotterdam.

Currently, there are two options, the Blankenberg Tunnel, not far west of the Benelux Tunnel, and the Oranje Tunnel, further west. Opponents of these tunnel fear it would create another motorway south of Den Haag, namely the A54 from Delft to the Oranje Tunnel. Quite frankly, the A54 is badly needed, but the area is completely build-up with greenhouses.

There is currently no funding available for either tunnel, but the port of Rotterdam announced they are willing to take risk in a PPP construction.

Locations:
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/9007/oranjeg.jpg

A54:
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/6098/a54q.jpg

A4 Amsterdam - Den Haag


There's no left shoulder lane?

New government’s traffic jam-busting plans hit by gas sales plan (http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/10/new_governments_traffic_jambus.php)

The new government’s plans to build new roads and invest more money in the railways are in doubt because of a potential lack of money, the Telegraaf reports on Monday, quoting sources in The Hague.
For years, major spending on the infrastructure has been funded by natural gas sales via a special budget known as the FES fund.

But the new government agreement states that the money held by the FES fund is to go directly to the treasury instead. That means effectively up to €3bn a year will be cut from transport ministry spending, the paper says.

The government agreement sets aside an extra €500m for spending on the roads but insiders told the paper that will not last long.

‘Combating congestion will grind to a halt,’ said Labour MP Diederik Samsom.

Mr. Samsom himself is one of the reasons we have so many traffic jams. His stance is generally anti-roads.

Indeed, I am very skeptical about an article which is based on "some sources and insiders in The Hague" and used by Mr.Green Mr.Samson to criticize the new government agreement.

Some pictures of the A2, near Eindhoven and the A58 till Tilburg

Album: http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/index.html

Some pictures from that album:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/slides/S_PICT29286.JPG

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/slides/S_PICT29288.JPG

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/slides/S_PICT29298.JPG

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/slides/S_PICT29317.JPG

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/ASN/19-10-10/A2-A58/A2-A58/album/slides/S_PICT29335.JPG

A2 Eindhoven - Valkenswaard

The A2 was widened in a record 69 days from 2 to 3 lanes between interchange Leenderheide and Valkenswaard (6 km). These works were carried out to prevent traffic jams on A2 to get back on the newly widened A2/A67 around Eindhoven. The 3 lanes will be available from October 24th. The works started on August 16th.

A similar project is being carried out on A58 between interchange Batadorp and Oirschot.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~koef/images/20101017-152709-edit.jpg

Newly widened A2 Eindhoven - Valkenswaard:

http://www.dse.nl/~koef/jalbum/A2-Leenderheide-Valkenswaard/2010-Week42/slides/20101024-092833.jpg

That was pretty fast. Why is it widened only on one side? Netherlands has a lot of money for infrastructure, it seems.

The only purpose of this three-lane section is to prevent traffic congestion on the Randweg Eindhoven (bypass of Eindhoven). Ideally, the A2 would be widened to 2x3 lanes until Weert.

Some history;

In 1942, construction of the A12 between Utrecht and the German border commenced. This was seen as an important route by the German high command, and was one of the few major road projects that continued in 1942 in Europe. It was heavily bombed by the Allied Air Force during World War II. Works were 50% completed in 1943, but was halted between the IJssel River and Zevenaar.

Near Arnhem, the Velperbroek traffic circle opened in 1961. A12 traffic had to use the traffic circle to continue east. In 1964, the second IJssel Bridge was opened to traffic, and the A12 was more or less a continuous motorway from The Hague to the German border. However, the A12 fly-over over the traffic circle didn't open until late 1986. A third IJssel River Bridge was opened around 1990, carrying 8 lanes of traffic, out of which 4 are through lanes.

Here's an aerial view of the Velperbroek Interchange as it is today. The hill on the top-left corner used to be a landfill. East is the upper side of this picture.
http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/34703579.jpg

^^ I didn't knew that The Netherlands still had this type of crossings, I thought only Belgium had the last one remaining...But it isn't exactualy like the Lummen interchange is it?

Traffic circles (basically giant roundabouts, often controlled with traffic signals) used to be a popular way in the 1950's and 1960's to connect motorways and major roads.

Some of them, like interchange Oudenrijn, interchange Deil, interchange Heerenveen and interchange Hoevelaken, have been converted to cloverleafs or other interchange forms decades ago, but some still exist.

Here's an overview:

Interchange Joure: A6-A7 - most substandard motorway-to-motorway interchange in the country.
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3937/kpjoure.jpg

Interchange Leenderheide: A2-A67 - recently got a new bypass for A2 traffic. Local traffic still has to follow the traffic circle.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2027/kpleenderheide.jpg

Interchange Velperbroek: A12-A348-N325. The A12 is the only free-flowing connection. A348 and N325 terminate here.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8770/kpvelperbroek.jpg

Exit Zwolle-Zuid: A28-N331-N337. The most important motorway exit in Zwolle.
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/7117/kpzwollezuid.jpg

Exit Utrecht-Hoograven: A12-local roads. Probably the busiest traffic circle in the Netherlands.
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5335/kphoograven.jpg

Interchange Rottepolderplein: A9-A200. The only example of a motorway-to-motorway roundabout interchange where both motorways are free-flowing. Common in the United Kingdom.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2753/kprottepolderplein.jpg

There are a few in the Rotterdam area as well.

Aquaducts!

The Netherlands is also known for its aquaduct or aqueducts, roads that run underneath water bodies. They are not the same as tunnels, which may also run underneath rivers or water bodies.

A12: Gouwe Aquaduct, opened 1981. 154.000 vehicles per day. Busiest in the Netherlands.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3478/gouweaquaduct.jpg

A20: Cortlandt Aquaduct, opened 1984. 99.000 vehicles per day. One of the smallest in NL.
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/5026/cortlandtaquaduct.jpg

A4: Gaag Aquaduct, opened 1999. 27.000 vehicles per day. Prepared for 6 lanes.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/1289/gaagaquaduct.jpg

A4: Ringvaart Aquaduct, opened 1961. 107.000 vehicles per day. A widening with a second aquaduct is almost completed.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1073/ringvaartaquaduct.jpg

Second Ringvaart Aquaduct, opened 2010:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4883439672_21ed1fe358_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4883439672/)
A4-11-8-2010-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/4883439672/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

N302: Aquaduct Veluwemeer. 28.000 vehicles per day, opened 2002.
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/4240/aquaductveluwemeer.jpg

N302: Naviduct Enkhuizen, opened 2003.
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/9708/naviduct.jpg



The Friesland province is especially full of aquaducts, due to the large number of lakes, rivers and canals which see a lot of recreational shipping in the summer.

N354: Jeltesleat Akwadukt, opened 2007
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3335114491_1a9f50660d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/3335114491/)
IMG_1034 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/3335114491/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

N7: Geau Akwadukt, opened 2008
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1539/geauakwaduct.jpg

N924: Ie-Akwadukt, opened 2007
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Ie-akwadukt_01.JPG

N31: Langdeel Aquaduct, opened 2008
http://www.annage.nl/images/foto2%20aquaduct.jpg

A32: Leppa-akwadukt, opened 1996
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Leppa_Akwadukt_01.JPG/800px-Leppa_Akwadukt_01.JPG

A32: Aquaduct Mid-Fryslân, opened 1993
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Akwadukt_Mid-Fryslan_02.JPG

:cheers:

I still think they shoul;d demolish the old Ringvaart Aquaduct and build a new one that is propperly prepared for more then 3 lanes, like 5 orso like the new one, and looks better to ;)

Yes, the new aquaduct has space for 5 lanes - conform other structures on A4 between Amsterdam and The Hague (like the new Oude Rijn aquaduct and the HSL underpass, which all have space for 2x5 lanes). The old aquaduct will be retrofitted with 3 lanes, divided into 2+1 lanes. It has been reported they will complete these works by next weekend, effectively eliminating one of the worst bottlenecks in western Netherlands.

It will take until 2014 though, until the 2 new aquaducts near Leiden (Oude Rijn aquaduct) are completed. The first one will be in operation by 2012, temporarily operating in both directions while the old drawbridge is demolished and the second aquaduct is completed, thus full 2x3 capacity will be in operation by 2014.

It will be relatively easily possible to widen the A4 to 2x5 lanes from Amsterdam to The Hague. The only problem is that you need to build a new Ringvaart Aquaduct (the old one from 1961 has 2x2 lanes with pillars in the median which cannot be removed).

Traffic circles (basically giant roundabouts, often controlled with traffic signals) used to be a popular way in the 1950's and 1960's to connect motorways and major roads.

Some of them, like interchange Oudenrijn, interchange Deil, interchange Heerenveen and interchange Hoevelaken, have been converted to cloverleafs or other interchange forms decades ago, but some still exist.

Here's an overview:

Thanks Chris :)

Is this a metal center barrier in the shape of a concrete one?
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1539/geauakwaduct.jpg

That's correct. They're mostly used as temporary barriers during roadworks though.

More of these barriers are being used under permanent circumstances since end of the 1990's.

so the first superhighway is going to be built at the a27? for a little payment you get a traffic jam free ride during rush hour...... im wondering....

I think media is jumping to conclusions. First of all, the widening of A27 with an elevated tolled structure in the median was just one of many options. Secondly, I haven't read any statement by the national road authority that a final decision has been made.

The uncertainty regarding toll roads in the Netherlands is that our motorway network has always been toll-free, the only toll roads we have are the Westerschelde and Kil Tunnel, both outside the main road network, though Westerschelde Tunnel plays a vital role for southern Zeeland.

There are a few real-life cases where we had toll roads, one of them was the N323 bridge near Tiel. The toll bridge was a financial disaster and lost money. The acceptance of the Dutch public to pay tolls in addition to the already excessive taxes on motor vehicles, fuels and annual road tax could be lower than they will hope for. A few recently completed toll tunnels in Sydney showed that traffic fell far below expectations. On the other hand, some road widenings with toll lanes in Texas turned out to be a success. The road widening could be financed, and traffic flow improved dramatically.

A2 Deil - Everdingen

The widening of A2 between interchanges Deil and Everdingen, between Den Bosch and Utrecht, have officially been concluded and the new road has been inaugurated, although full capacity has already been in operation for a few weeks.

But I like to present to you some serious eye-candy with aerial images of the new A2. Most of these pictures are from late summer.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6360/a21u.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8936/a22e.jpg

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/8541/a23nd.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/6061/a24a.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3709/a25i.jpg

A nice before - after:

Before:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9090/a2oud.jpg

After:
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8072/a2nieuw.jpg

I think media is jumping to conclusions. First of all, the widening of A27 with an elevated tolled structure in the median was just one of many options. Secondly, I haven't read any statement by the national road authority that a final decision has been made.

The uncertainty regarding toll roads in the Netherlands is that our motorway network has always been toll-free, the only toll roads we have are the Westerschelde and Kil Tunnel, both outside the main road network, though Westerschelde Tunnel plays a vital role for southern Zeeland.

There are a few real-life cases where we had toll roads, one of them was the N323 bridge near Tiel. The toll bridge was a financial disaster and lost money. The acceptance of the Dutch public to pay tolls in addition to the already excessive taxes on motor vehicles, fuels and annual road tax could be lower than they will hope for. A few recently completed toll tunnels in Sydney showed that traffic fell far below expectations. On the other hand, some road widenings with toll lanes in Texas turned out to be a success. The road widening could be financed, and traffic flow improved dramatically.

That is definitely a problem. The Westerscheldetunnel is unlikely to remain a toll-tunnel in the long run, at least in its current state. The resistance is widespread and relentless. The key argument of the contra-movement is that the tunnel is Zeeuws-Vlaanderen's only link with the rest of the country (not counting Belgium, as Antwerp is also applying toll to more and more tunnels) and should as such be toll-free.

Provinciale Staten in Zeeland has promised to review the toll-situation later. For now, the income is needed to fund the construction of the vital tunnel under the Terneuzen-Ghent canal near Sluiskil.

Personally, I expect the Westerscheldetunnel to maintain some sort of toll system - either with an exception for the residents of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, or with a limited toll system where only trucks would have to pay (to avoid a huge stream of trucks between the ports of Rotterdam and Bruges/Ghent).

Minister Schultz confirmed today A27 will NOT be a toll road. There will be no tolls on existing infrastructure.

What's the sense of your left shoulder running?
You build a whole new lane but did'nt open it all the time. Why?

Simply procedures. They cost as much as a regular widening.

Construction of A74 near Venlo will commence on Monday, November 8th. The council of state has denied a final appeal against the motorway construction.

preparatory works for the A12 widening between Utrecht and Veenendaal to 2x3 lanes with various measures will commence Monday November 8th, 2010 by cutting trees along the motorway.

The A12 will be widened via a variety of options, such as full widenings, left shoulder running and right shoulder running, depending on local conditions. The embankment of the A12 was built in the 1940's and reflected the design standards of those days, but is substandard by todays design, that is why a full widening is too costly at the moment.

The widening will be completed by March 2013.

map:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9387/a12v.png

I think this is the first English-language destination on a Dutch motorway. The destination is Rotterdam-The Hague Airport.

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2453/rth.jpg

Minister Schultz

A picture of her for those who are not familiar with her.

Full name:
Melanie Henriëtte Schultz van Haegen-Maas Geesteranus

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7073/ministerschultz.jpg

She doesn't seem to be as knowledgeable as previous Minister Eurlings about road infrastructure though. She said "the third "rijbaan", while it should be "the third "rijstrook". Eurlings didn't make mistakes like that.

(the difference between a "rijbaan" and "rijstrook" is carriageway or lane. By "rijbaan" you mean all adjacent lanes and shoulders in one direction. The media almost always got this wrong, while it is something they teach at drivers ed).

Ecoduct Hoog-Buurlo near Apeldoorn (A1 motorway) under construction.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1056/5162072342_053a1a31fc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5162072342/)
Ecoduct Hoog Buurlo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5162072342/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

She doesn't seem to be as knowledgeable as previous Minister Eurlings about road infrastructure though. She said "the third "rijbaan", while it should be "the third "rijstrook". Eurlings didn't make mistakes like that.

(the difference between a "rijbaan" and "rijstrook" is carriageway or lane. By "rijbaan" you mean all adjacent lanes and shoulders in one direction. The media almost always got this wrong, while it is something they teach at drivers ed).

I didn't know that either, actually. Doesn't seem very important anyway.

I didn't know that either, actually. Doesn't seem very important anyway.

Actually they teach it at drivers ed, and it is a significant difference, especially with a parallel system. If they say they had to close down the "rijbaan", people think 1 lane is closed while actually all lanes are closed. But because the media continues to report it the wrong way, people don't think there is a difference anymore. Luckily Rijkswaterstaat still reports the good terms in their press announcements.

Here's the difference:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Snelweg.gif

Driver's education, you mean that one week course you only have to take once in your life when you're 18? And you expect us to remember the trivial parts? People can't even remember who's right of way it is unless there's shark's teeth on the ground :D

If people can make out the difference between shoulder and lane, they should also be able to see the difference between a carriageway and lane, especially since these words are often used in media and press announcements.

Good news for the Utrecht - Amersfoort area.

The design-record of decision will be published tomorrow with the details on the A27-A1 widening.

* A27 Utrecht-Noord - interchange Eemnes: from 2x2 to 2x3 lanes, with a space reservation for 2x4 or a transit lane.
* A27 Utrecht-Noord - Bilthoven: a 4th lane for shoulder running purposes, northbound only.

* A1 interchange Eemnes - Bunschoten: from 2x2 to 2x4 lanes

The section between Bunschoten and interchange Hoevelaken is handled as a separate project, and is not included in the A27-A1 widening, but is included in the "interchange Hoevelaken" project.

map:
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7023/utrechtamersfoort.png

This is one of many projects to widen all motorways in the Utrecht province.

In the same area, the A12 widening between Utrecht and Veenendaal has commenced this week, while the A28 widening between Utrecht and Amersfoort will begin early 2011. The A1 will be widened with shoulder running through the Hilversum area.

i found this video of a dutch road building method, i found it funny
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5fe_1289529783

A58 Vlake Tunnel

Major troubles arose on the A58 motorway between Bergen op Zoom and Vlissingen in the Zeeland province. The Vlake Tunnel, which runs under the Canal through Zuid-Beveland, has been closed indefinitely because pavement came up by 15 centimeters in both tubes. Rijkswaterstaat surveyed the tunnel this night, initially counting on a brief closure, but were shocked by the current conditions of the tunnel. The media reports the tunnel could be closed for months.

Traffic is diverted via the N289 provincial highway, which has a drawbridge. The Vlake Tunnel handles 43.000 vehicles per day and opened in 1975. The tunnel was renovated in early 2010.

Vlake Tunnel:
http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/449/vlaketunnel.jpg

A couple of years ago the groundwater leaked at the same spot. I think that's the problem again.

Rijkswaterstaat hasn't put any news on their website yet, but it has been confirmed they are now rebuilding the interchanges overnight to handle the additional traffic load. Motorway traffic will be transferred onto the adjacent N289 highway, which is a two-lane road with a drawbridge.

This means there is serious trouble with the tunnel, otherwise they wouldn't take such drastic measures like reconstructing the interchanges overnight.

http://www.omroepzeeland.nl/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Omleiding-Zondag-e.v..jpg

temporary exit
http://www.omroepzeeland.nl/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Afslag-Kapelle.jpg

temporary entrance
http://www.omroepzeeland.nl/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Oprit-Yerseke.jpg

They have put huge concrete blocks on the tunnel segment as counterweight.


http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/8274/vlaketunnelbetonblokken.jpg

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8274/vlaketunnelbetonblokken.jpg

That's just creepy...

At least the Vlake tunnel is only a few 100 meters long and traffic can be relatively easily rerouted. Imagine if it was the Westerscheldetunnel.

^^ Fortunately this appears to have nothing to do with the ceiling. Imagine the mere perspective of the tunnel breaching up and flooding everything nearby.

Rijkswaterstaat hasn't put any news on their website yet, but it has been confirmed they are now rebuilding the interchanges overnight to handle the additional traffic load. Motorway traffic will be transferred onto the adjacent N289 highway, which is a two-lane road with a drawbridge.


How do they get the approvels for such a thing? Is the land also in the ownership of Rijkswaterstaat? What are in fact the provisions in an emergency situation like this?

^^ Yes, the land is already owned by the State. The temporary roads are within the existing right-of-way of the highway, so it's no problem to build them overnight.

But if there is somewhere an emergency on private land which need immediate reaction, the government can just do whatever is needed. The landowners will of course be compensated afterwards for damage and loss of income.

For example, when densely populated areas are threatened by flooding from rivers, the government can flood agricultural land in order to save the cities. This happened in 1998 when lower parts of my city were about to flood and they sacrificed some large rural polders to lower the waterlevel, which turned out to be succesful. Since then, the government has designated areas which can be flooded in case of an emergency when all regular buffers are full. Landowners will be compensated afterwards. But I'm getting off-topic now... :)

^^ I got it in the case of flooding. However it is interesting in a "just" corked motorway.

I see, the land was no problem. But I mean, there are many approvels for any road construction. These ramps were not planned, projected, and approved for that place. Therefore I wonder is there some provisional protocol that allows them to change the project owernight? How long could they keep them for example? Or did they undergo some fast approvel? This is some quick action and doesnt remind me of the moaning on the time consuming processing issues that I hear here :).

The Dutch system of public law aims to protect the citizens against decisions made by the governments. The Algemene wet bestuursrecht (= General Administrative Law Act) requires the governments to prepare the decision carefully, to weight the interests of all parties involved in a balanced way and to motivate the decision thoroughly. Affected citizens, companies and non-profit organisations can appeal to almost any decision of the government. When the court revokes the decision, the government has to make a new decision, which could be appealed again, and so on.

There are many decisions needed before the construction of a road can start and is very hard to thoroughly motivate really everything. Therefore, it takes many years before construction of an infrastructural project can begin.

I don't know the details of this specific project, but I think there is NO formal decision taken to build temporary roads overnight. Of course, they decided to do that, but I think it's not a decision as stated in the law; it's just a factual act of the road authority. Because it's not based on a decision, no "careful preparations" and "thoroughly motivations" were required.

Anyone whose rights (or interests) are violated by this act, can go to court and demand those violations to be ceased and, if applicable, compensation for any damage. That's always possible, regardless those violations are commited by an individual, a company or a government agency.

I see. I would deduce that they may act like this only when certain conditions are met, isn't it so?

Otherwise it would be pretty much possible to start the road constructions, reconstruction, realigment etc. without that decision making process pretty much allways. The transaction costs of appealing and proving that your rights were violated, proving the damage etc. could be prohibitivly high and prevent people from actually appealing. Moroever anyway it might show as cheaper to solve the problems in this way for the state since many times certain things would be irrevesible when actually built but impossible to make an agreement on ex ante at all. Therefore the ex ante process exists.

^^ Yes, it's an exceptional situation here: there is an immediate need for a solution so therefore the road authority can justify this factual act.

They won't do this in regular cases where reconstructions or realignments etc are needed. I doubt the road authority has the legal competence to start such works without a formal decision of the Ministry of Infrastructure.

But indeed, if a government does something irreversible what afterwards appears to be illegal, then we have a problem. It can't be undone, so a (high) compensation for those who are affected is the only thing left. If that government knew it was illegal, then it's abuse of power. Voters don't like that. :lol:

I know one case where the Dutch Ministry of Defense wanted to cut down a part of a forest which is just in front of the runway of NATO Air base Geilenkirchen (http://maps.google.nl/maps?hl=nl&ie=UTF8&ll=50.958481,6.023684&spn=0.030384,0.077162&t=h&z=14), the AWACS-Air base which is located just on the German side of the border. There was a lot of protests by environmental groups. The local government strongly opposed the cutting and made a zoning plan for that forest in which cutting trees became forbidden. They were overruled by the central government (very rare in Dutch politics), a decision which became revoked by Council of State (the highest administrative law court). But by then all trees were already gone.

Why am I so interested? Well, because I think that exactly this processing of public construction is the most crucial point in any infrastructure construction. Only if the right process rules are set we can come to the most efficient and beneficiary solutions. There are many aspects of this and one of them is the responsibility.

In this case I wondered, if there is indeed a law or decree (wet) enumerating what conditions are to be met to allow Rijkswaterstaat to skip this process. E.g. that huge economical loss has to be preneted, or there is big danger to the people and property... etc. Otherwise it would depend only on the guts of some brave bureaucrat. I guess, when someone goes beyonde someone's competences there are not only legal charges against the institutions possible but also criminal charges against a person that made the decisions.

BTW, did they had to plant some trees back ;)?

Shoulder running will be in operation from today on the A9 in southeastern Amsterdam, between interchanges Holendrecht (A2) and Diemen (A1). This section has 2x2 permanent lanes and carries up to 90.000 vehicles per day. The shoulders will be opened to traffic if traffic volumes exceed 3.000 vehicles per hour per direction. Shoulder running will be operational in both directions.

This is a temporary solution, because the A9 will be widened to 10 lanes with a tunnel between 2012 and 2020. (no exact timelime available yet).

A1 Muiden-Hengelo

Quite a long series of pictures of the A1 between Muiden and Hengelo.

The complete set (117 pictures) can be found here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/sets/72157625262913297/). If you don't have time or if you just don't feel like looking at 117 pictures I'd recommend to start here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/timon91/5174947290/in/set-72157625262913297/), as I had a lot of contralight in the beginning of the trip.

Note: these pictures have been taken in august so the situation might have changed at a few locations since then!

A map to clear things out:
http://i53.tinypic.com/otq8b7.png

Thanks for watching!

Shoulder running in operation at 1 pm.

A1 motorway near Hoevelaken.

You can see the benefits, all trucks to the right, and 2 lanes for other traffic. 2x3 is still needed though, this shoulder is opened to traffic almost the entire day.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5181917619_78ec6ede78_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5181917619/)
A1 shoulder running Hoevelaken (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5181917619/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

^^ There's enough space for a 2x3 highway at this point.

De Vlake Tunnel

Tomorrow they will open the shoulders of the highway in two directions (today one was already open).
They couldn't say how long the rest of the tunnel will be closet, maybe a week... or some months.

Some news from today:

A9 Haarlem (Velsen - Raasdorp + Badhoevedorp - Raasdorp)
All appeals against the construction of shoulder running on the A9 have been rejected by the council of state. The construction had already commenced, and shoulder running can be opened as planned in April 2011. The section between interchanges Velsen and Raasdorp will receive shoulder running in both directions, the section between interchanges Badhoevedorp and Raasdorp only in the northbound direction.

N31 Leeuwarden
All appeals (almost 30 separate topics) have been rejected by the council of state. The N31 Leeuwarden bypass can proceed as planned; a 2x2 expressway with grade-separated junctions.

A2 Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch (Oudenrijn - Everdingen)
The minister has published the record of decision for the widening of the A2 between interchanges Oudenrijn and Everdingen (south of Utrecht) from 2x3 to 2x4 lanes. All documents can be found here (http://www.centrumpp.nl/projecten/procedures/810101tracbesluita2oudenrijneverdingen2010.aspx)

Minister Schultz is going to find out if it is possible to convert some shoulder running to permanent lanes, according to media reports. It's unclear what she exactly means by that, I don't think it's a good idea to have no shoulder 24/7 on the motorways, but some left shoulders (de-facto 3rd lanes) could be opened 24/7 in my opinion.

I'll post some pictures of left shoulder running later.

I'll post some pictures of left shoulder running later.

A1 Deventer-Oost - Interchange Beekbergen

The A1 is one of the most important transit routes of the Netherlands. This particular section carries up to 90.000 vehicles per day, including 20.000 trucks, one of the highest truck counts in the country. In 2006, left shoulder running was constructed in the median. The lanes are slightly more narrow than the general-purpose lanes, and is limited at 100 km/h during rush hour.

These pictures start at Deventer-Oost, and progress west to interchange Beekbergen near Apeldoorn. Although traffic may appear light at times, it was necessary to have 3 lanes open. The traffic waves are metered by trucks further east, so you'll have waves of traffic every time, instead of a steady flow.

The pictures were taken around 13.30 hours.

1.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1020/5189688461_a39ba0a015_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688461/)
A1 plusstrook-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688461/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/5189688511_cdcef00329_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688511/)
A1 plusstrook-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688511/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5189688581_b5f4a042d9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688581/)
A1 plusstrook-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688581/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1275/5190286444_c2f54c490e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286444/)
A1 plusstrook-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286444/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1279/5190286522_cfcf54aafe_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286522/)
A1 plusstrook-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286522/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5190286584_c6514fe732_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286584/)
A1 plusstrook-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286584/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/5189688869_ef78a82594_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688869/)
A1 plusstrook-7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688869/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5189688921_d1374fdb68_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688921/)
A1 plusstrook-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189688921/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5189689041_ed9e6ffb08_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189689041/)
A1 plusstrook-9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189689041/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

10.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/5190286930_dd5dc9eb58_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286930/)
A1 plusstrook-10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286930/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

11.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/5190286990_8558b69f3f_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286990/)
A1 plusstrook-11 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5190286990/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

12.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5189689257_f6930bb8db_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189689257/)
A1 plusstrook-12 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5189689257/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

^^
why is left lane divided with different (longer) lines?

^^ To show it is just an additional lane ("plus-lane"), which is not as width as regular lanes.

I doubt we should see plus-lanes as "shoulder running", as those lanes were not intended to be shoulders. They were constructed for the purpose of being an additional lane, narrow and therefore only opened if needed and with reduced maximum speed.

The closest English equivalent of "spitsstrook" is "shoulder running", being used in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In general media, Rijkswaterstaat now advertises the "plusstrook" as a "spitsstrook", because people didn't understand the meaning, because their actual usage is the same (a lane, being a shoulder or additional left lane that can be opened to traffic if traffic volumes exceed 3,000 vehicles per hour per direction).

The "plusstrook" or "plus lane" is Netherlands-specific, as far as I know. Germany and Italy use shoulder running as well, but only on the actual shoulder. The Dutch created a left shoulder for the same purpose, so a right shoulder remains available. This is in fact just a road widening, but due to procedures and regulation, cannot proceed as a full widening.

The "plus lane" varies in appearance, and vary from 2 tot 3 meters wide. As far as I know, the plus lanes on the A28 motorway through Zwolle are the narrowest, and the ones on A1 Deventer - Apeldoorn are among the widest. The Netherlands is currently slowly moving away from plus lanes, and is more and more investing in full widenings because a) they cost just as much and b) legislation and regulation have been eased (air quality in specific) so that full widenings with permanent lanes are now a better option than plus lanes. Only some specific cases still receive plus lanes (especially A12).

Nice aerial I found of interchange Beekbergen (A1/A50 near Apeldoorn metropolis)
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8829/kpbeekbergen.jpg

Shoulder running in operation on A1 motorway; from interchange Hoevelaken to exit Barneveld. 105.000 vehicles use this motorway per day. There is only shoulder running in the eastbound direction because the Hoevelaken cloverleaf cannot handle additional traffic from a 3rd lane during rush hour.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/9392/a1spitsstrook.png

1.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5202377598_fc5b106324_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377598/)
A1-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377598/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

2.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/5201781743_ef1bab37fd_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781743/)
A1-2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781743/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

3.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5202377722_4fb7687b86_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377722/)
A1-3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377722/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

4.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5201781883_f9bd7e66a6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781883/)
A1-4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781883/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

5.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5201781943_6aecb3c9fb_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781943/)
A1-5 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201781943/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

6.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5202377944_5fface9285_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377944/)
A1-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202377944/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

7.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5202378018_a1c5cbb92b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378018/)
A1-7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378018/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

8.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5202378096_aa7435e4fc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378096/)
A1-8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378096/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

9.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5201782241_c3e6756c23_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201782241/)
A1-9 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5201782241/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

10.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5202378274_2f50002598_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378274/)
A1-10 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378274/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

11.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5202378442_16050eaae0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378442/)
A1-11 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378442/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

12.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5202378648_cd9f023462_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378648/)
A1-12 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriszwolle/5202378648/) by Chriszwolle (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriszwolle/), on Flickr

Today I took advantage of a car rental voucher with incredible conditions without rent itself, and then I took a road trip (more will come tomorrow and the day after).

Because most of NL highways are well covered by other forummers with far better photo abilities/resources than me, I'll limited, in regard of highways, to some interesting spots. Then, I'll create other posts for non-highway sectors I drove by.

Sorry for the panel reflex, the position of the sun this time of they year is just not good enough.

My route can be seen in Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Tilburg,+Netherlands&daddr=51.77782,5.2588+to:52.38832,5.25589+to:52.44405,5.27902+to:52.667185,5.37142+to:53.03647,5.23731+to:53.23079,5.50307+to:53.249,5.58708+to:53.23873,5.65097+to:53.18903,5.78677+to:51.75713,5.62489+to:51.68486,5.30938+to:tilburg,+netherlands&hl=en&geocode=FVDlEgMdsFxNACnzcGgSHb7GRzEnl7DzgiEtqg;FRwRFgMdMD5QAA;FeBhHwMd0jJQAA;FZI7IAMdLI1QAA;FTGjIwMdHPZRAA;FbZFKQMdPupPAA;FcY8LAMdXvhTAA;FeiDLAMdiEBVAA;FcpbLAMdGjpWAA;FaaZKwMdkkxYAA;FUrAFQMdOtRVAA;FfylFAMdxANRAA;FVDlEgMdsFxNACnzcGgSHb7GRzEnl7DzgiEtqg&mra=ls&sll=52.375164,5.215299&sspn=5.306094,11.45874&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=8).

We start with A59 near Walwijk. It has some substandard sectors.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0WoNnm6I/AAAAAAAACxY/SMf8DkjlTjA/s800/PB230002.JPG

As we approach Den Bosch, the highway is called Ring 's-Hertogenbosch, but only part of the ringoad is built for expressway (let alone motorway) standards
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0YMwAOPI/AAAAAAAACxo/jJ-VOfa-ezw/s800/PB230007.JPG

From Tilburg to Utrecht there are two main routes with similar distances: via A27 or A2. This time, I took A2, entering it in Den Bosch:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0ZMwwkcI/AAAAAAAACx0/enbYc8PQIKA/s800/PB230010.JPG

Knnoopunt Empel
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0ZdGCDNI/AAAAAAAACx4/ngXjtQHpgMw/s800/PB230011.JPG

A2 is very busy, even in the middle of a winter weekday, so its 3 lanes per direction help a lot
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0Zs90FXI/AAAAAAAACx8/85tjNtvmRrU/s800/PB230012.JPG

Bridge over Maas. Notice how the weather is changing constantly. The sign on the left instruct drivers to leave a corridor for emergency vehicles in case of traffic jams

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0a2jsyEI/AAAAAAAACyQ/Bh_7vzWuITE/s800/PB230017.JPG

Approach A2 x A15 intersection (Knoppunt Deil). The main freight railway crosses over A2 in the same spot, but is not that visible. The interchange is very modern with collector/through design. It is not as good as a stack interchange, but reduces waving a lot.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0bbUvIeI/AAAAAAAACyc/G7Qb8b3wdbA/s800/PB230020.JPG

I parked the car in the shoulder of the through northbound lanes
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0b8O8y4I/AAAAAAAACyk/eN6kFSqMFUs/s800/PB230022.JPG

Knoppunt Everdrigen, with no waving at all (A2 x A27). I guess it ought to be one of the busiest in the country. Here I took right for A27.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0c7IW5fI/AAAAAAAACy4/rdxedxsx2bo/s800/PB230027.JPG

Last exit from A27 to Utrecht, to the north sector of the ringroad (Utrecht has more of a "triangle" formed by this ringroad, A2 and A27.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0fG_e6LI/AAAAAAAACzM/uI_EoGVJLGA/s800/PB230032.JPG

Here we're approaching Knooppunt Eemes (A27 x A1). A28 was so congested that variable signs in Utrecht suggested drivers to Amersfoort to take the far longer A27 + A21 east than the more direct A28 route.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0fj9dlfI/AAAAAAAACzU/5Us7cOBOVF4/s800/PB230034.JPG

Many wind turbines near A27, near Eemes
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0hOapIsI/AAAAAAAACzo/cAcKdWKzkBk/s800/PB230039.JPG

Approaching the end of A27 in Almere Buiten. The highway ends on A6.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0iqF5p7I/AAAAAAAACz8/8nMFw7Ofix0/s800/PB230043.JPG

From Almere Buiten I took N701, a very nice and odd 1+1 expressway/road that follows over the Oosvaarderdijk, a dyke created in the 60's to separate the Makermeer and drain the Flevopolder where the new cities of Almere and Lelystad (among others) were built
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0klAyYQI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/TKR9U0BfXis/s800/PB230050.JPG

East of N701 there is a highly valued ecological reserve: the Oostvaarderplassen, which is essentially a polder that was contained on its borders but not drained. Roadside landscape is beutiful:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0kw2HEgI/AAAAAAAAC0g/kChKjb31Q0I/s800/PB230052.JPG

There are some parking areas and vantage poins on N701
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0lMt7IFI/AAAAAAAAC0k/Z8BRzf2yWqY/s800/PB230053.JPG

Sometimes N701 is surrounded by water in both sides. Here the view from another roadside stop.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0l3d3f8I/AAAAAAAAC0s/Dz-6owUZpV0/s800/PB230055.JPG

Wind was blowing strong, and there are no guad-rails or barriers whatsoever
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0mlnjacI/AAAAAAAAC08/oR_qGdxEIoA/s800/PB230059.JPG

We reached Lelystad, near the major Batavia Stad retail center, an area full of kitsch-fake buildings very popular with bargain-seekers. To the left we go to Enkhuizen, hold on couple minutes for the next post.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0naGkM5I/AAAAAAAAC1Q/5ZlOkLl3Ne0/s800/PB230064.JPG

Illegal use of shoulder = € 130 fine ;)

(taking a photo from the shoulder would be considered illegal use of the shoulder).

I wanted to drive, on the same day, over both major dykes on what was once an ocean bay that reached Amsterdam before they dammed it twice, creating the IJsselmeer and the Markermeer (which was supposed to be totally drained and reclaimed, though only Flevopolder was actually constructed).

There are 2 pairs of sluice gates on each extremity of the dyke that separates the Markermeer (on thel left on my photos) from IJsselmeer (on the right). Over the Houtribdijk runs N302, connecting Lelystad to Ennkhuizen. Here are the Lelystad gates:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0pR5RFdI/AAAAAAAAC1s/tDcgc6vrHZ8/s800/PB230071.JPG

Same gated viewed from a dead-end road. N302 crosses on that viaduct: Lelystad is on the left.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0pw_s23I/AAAAAAAAC10/N4KE1wV983s/s800/PB230073.JPG

Road is quite nice, an expressway with the all-sought green median. However, it was EXTREMELY windy over there, the water was quite agitated despite being, theoretically, only a lake. Notice the color difference in the water from both sides.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0spCZRLI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/A0fbioTEhbY/s800/PB230080.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0ubgpdRI/AAAAAAAAC20/1n4imsuTnWA/s800/PB230089.JPG

Beware of the birds (vogels)!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0vHFmo_I/AAAAAAAAC3A/gOszhlVhB1Q/s800/PB230092.JPG

After the Enkzuizen gates, there is this aquaduct and N302 comes back to dry land again.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0vUnXbkI/AAAAAAAAC3E/LgG-QJb9CSI/s800/PB230093.JPG

N302 than becomes very annoying until the junction with A7. It was not congested by had many 4-phased traffic lights, than a sign of "expressway", then another traffic lights 900m in front. And they are not synchronized for green wave.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0wgB11fI/AAAAAAAAC3Y/5LthRc8WbkY/s800/PB230098.JPG

I have no idea what this U21 signaling means.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0zhjZQDI/AAAAAAAAC4A/v__hceoPK_Q/s800/PB230107.JPG

Joining A7 in Riesdam
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw00CmUm-I/AAAAAAAAC4E/xt5ErbvxCOQ/s800/PB230108.JPG

Wind turbines here are less chaotically placed then in Emmen. They make a nice bigger counterpart to the ubiquitous trees planted along A7.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw00zcB1UI/AAAAAAAAC4U/qVIi74HCVEY/s800/PB230112.JPG

Older signaling pattern on A7
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw04KsYJ6I/AAAAAAAAC48/PnIoLKsNavI/s800/PB230122.JPG

Aflsluitdijk, built in the 30's. To the left: shallow water of Wadden Sea. To the right: IJsselmeer. This is a fundamental piece in flood prevention in the Netherlands. Is isolated Amsterdam and all the IJssel basin from storm surges and so. This is a bigger dyke, with a 2x2 highway running over it. First, the gates and drawbridge:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw06F8rTqI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/6Ya6gmYw-As/s800/PB230127.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw06ebz7KI/AAAAAAAAC5U/mLqQ22gDU8o/s800/PB230128.JPG

There is an observation point in the middle of the dyke. Notice the higher earth wall on the left - it is meant to give extra protection against storm surges and, particularly, high waves, considering predominant winds from ocean:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw09snNtbI/AAAAAAAAC6A/c7B3E6zx4iA/s800/PB230140.JPG

From there, we can see a mosaic illustrating N302, A7 and the water bodies:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw08iMS2KI/AAAAAAAAC5w/Ko4FkMAfFi4/s800/PB230136.JPG

It surely is an engineering accomplishment
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw083ZqekI/AAAAAAAAC50/8W4d00XL9l0/s800/PB230137.JPG

Illegal use of shoulder = € 130 fine ;)

(taking a photo from the shoulder would be considered illegal use of the shoulder).

Didn't Suburbanist parked in lay-by?

The lanes are slightly more narrow than the general-purpose lanes

Some time ago I drove on one of these(probably A27 near Utrecht) and had an impression that leftmost lane(drivable shoulder) was much narrower than the regular lanes.

Leaving the Aflsluitdijk, we have Knoopunt Zurich. Switzerland, anyone? From here onwards, some cities are referred by both their Dutch and Frisian names.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1AX0rC_I/AAAAAAAAC6o/4OBcIfWkLZw/s800/PB230150.JPG

Crossing under A7 and heading to N31 to Harlingen. The sectiong from A7 to Harligen is substandard, from Harling onwards N31 becomes A31 but I don't know about its design and have not driven there.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1A2e672I/AAAAAAAAC6w/s3f2bqBijVY/s800/PB230152.JPG

Pipeline over N31:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1BxZndMI/AAAAAAAAC68/MxkiKzPbR_k/s800/PB230155.JPG

From Harlingen you can take ferries to the Wadden Islands, two of which are closed to motor traffic :ohno:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1C62PVTI/AAAAAAAAC7I/TJyp3-r10n8/s800/PB230158.JPG

Crossing Harligen, N31 is reduced to 1+1 and has some tight bridges and curves. They need to improve the situation there, it is a choke point on N31/A31:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1EbZfvyI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/lcmHe9nLqlc/s800/PB230160.JPG

Drawbridge on A31 in Harlingen. I bet traffic comes to hell when it opens in busy times.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1EtZSw_I/AAAAAAAAC7U/-VMiqt-0Iws/s800/PB230161.JPG

Now we're leaving N31 (which becomes A31 after this junction) to take N393 that will lead us to the powerful and mighty settlement of Minnerstga, my destination. The photo is bad, but the city names in Frisian are funny/odd:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1E31Xu1I/AAAAAAAAC7c/qxc68Mn_Ido/s800/PB230163.JPG

N31 overpass on N393
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1F9AoNGI/AAAAAAAAC7o/vLz5PAwr9BQ/s800/PB230166.JPG

Roadworks in Wijlandum. They are resurfacing the entrance of a barn:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1HAzkEJI/AAAAAAAAC70/WF5HQF4H_eg/s800/PB230169.JPG

Dutch northern countryside
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1HgG0LDI/AAAAAAAAC74/_QwVc6TwLk4/s800/PB230170.JPG

We keep on N393, which is just a regular non-urban road here
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1Jf4D7BI/AAAAAAAAC8I/1EHzMTPALPc/s800/PB230174.JPG

Then we leave Sexbierum (Seisbierrum in Dutch). Bilingual signs are common in smaller villages but some have just a Frisian name:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1KGyUp9I/AAAAAAAAC8Q/__85QwsRzDY/s800/PB230178.JPG

Frisian proud on the roadside
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1NjRDe4I/AAAAAAAAC88/nWHuF2zgRA8/s800/PB230194.JPG

Entering Minnerstga. Here we say "wolkom":
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOwv2gE-2tI/AAAAAAAACv8/rZDj107FN38/s800/PB230192.JPG

I spotted/got stuck behind a handful of big tractors and agricultural machines over there
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOwv3CAEZGI/AAAAAAAACwE/f_OPa_73BaI/s800/PB230195.JPG

Traffic jams and noise are huge problems in Nortwestern Friesland. Therefore, muncipalities ought to invest in traffic calming measures like this:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOwv65DPTWI/AAAAAAAACw4/KeRV3fkDWRE/s800/PB230209.JPG

TOT ZIENS
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOwv01eVogI/AAAAAAAACvs/mmcDDc-JqqQ/s800/PB230186.JPG

I have no idea what this U21 signaling means.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw0zhjZQDI/AAAAAAAAC4A/v__hceoPK_Q/s800/PB230107.JPG

I think the idea of this additional blue U21 sign is the same as in Germany. In case of motorway closure, accident or traffic you can follow this sign to avoid this situation. Then you will go to next entrance on motorway using parallel road.
U means - Umlauting. Am I correct?
These signs are quite often located in Eindhoven area.

Yes, you are correct. U means "Uitwijkroute" (alternate route). Unfortunately, you can copy the signs from Germany, but you cannot just copy their road network. Nearly all Dutch roads are incapable of being an alternate route to a motorway because they have all been downgraded with roundabouts, traffic calming, speed reductions, etc.

A few weeks ago with the Vlake Tunnel troubles, a detour was posted at the adjacent provincial highway, where of course, the traffic lights had been replaced by tiny roundabouts "because otherwise it looks too much like a traffic function". Hence, the were incredible traffic jams while A58 was still a relatively low-trafficked motorway with 43.000 vehicles per day.

Good news. Without any official inauguration, full capacity has been opened last night in the Ringvaart Aquaduct in the A4 motorway north of Leiden. This means 2x3 lanes are from now on available. This section carries 100.000 vehicles per day and was in the top25 most congested spots in the Netherlands. This morning, there was no congestion at all for the first time in many years on normal workdays.

http://www.autosnelwegen.nl/asw/forum2/A4aq01.jpg

Now we're leaving N31 (which becomes A31 after this junction) to take N393 that will lead us to the powerful and mighty settlement of Minnerstga, my destination. The photo is bad, but the city names in Frisian are funny/odd:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1E31Xu1I/AAAAAAAAC7c/qxc68Mn_Ido/s800/PB230163.JPG

Then we leave Sexbierum (Seisbierrum in Dutch). Bilingual signs are common in smaller villages but some have just a Frisian name:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOw1KGyUp9I/AAAAAAAAC8Q/__85QwsRzDY/s800/PB230178.JPG


Actually direction signs are always in dutch, the first sign would be like this in frisian:
Harns-Haven
Seisbierrum
Hjerbeam
Mullum

Even more odd then the Dutch names :)

In the second pic you mixed the names. Sexbierum is actually dutch, a funny dutch name actually. The name appears to consist of the words Sex, Beer and Rum:cheers:

Good news. Without any official inauguration, full capacity has been opened last night in the Ringvaart Aquaduct in the A4 motorway north of Leiden. This means 2x3 lanes are from now on available. This section carries 100.000 vehicles per day and was in the top25 most congested spots in the Netherlands. This morning, there was no congestion at all for the first time in many years on normal workdays.

http://www.autosnelwegen.nl/asw/forum2/A4aq01.jpg

Jeuh. :)

Traffic jams and noise are huge problems in Nortwestern Friesland. Therefore, muncipalities ought to invest in traffic calming measures like this:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TOwv65DPTWI/AAAAAAAACw4/KeRV3fkDWRE/s800/PB230209.JPG


I hope you're being sarcastic :lol:

The council of state has put the construction of the N356 expressway "centrale as" between Dokkum and N31 near Nijega on-hold. The council is not convinced a partial 2x2-layout is necessary based on socio-economic demographic factors. The main reason behind the 2x2 layout was traffic safety.

The current traffic volumes on this route are between 12.000 and 18.000 vehicles per day.

I drove from Tilburg to the end of the public roads on the westernmost part of Rotterdam Port (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Tilburg,+The+Netherlands&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.401733,91.669922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Tilburg,+North+Brabant,+The+Netherlands&ll=51.981272,4.045136&spn=0.002614,0.007639&t=h&z=18). I took a not-so-direct route.

I left Tilburg on N-282, which runs parallel to A58 up to Breda
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dAjXMglI/AAAAAAAAC98/F5HSbYnvK-o/s800/PB240001.JPG

This intersection is quite new. It runs through N360/N632, which provides a fast link from De Reeshof area with A58, bordering the Gilze-Rijen Air Base
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dB3S4MsI/AAAAAAAAC-M/jnA-28TV_1M/s800/PB240005.JPG[/iimg]

Now, we are on N631, providing a shortcut to A27. Many trucks there.
[IMG]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dCo0ulCI/AAAAAAAAC-U/r7KIj1aN1s8/s800/PB240007.JPG

Steep entry ramp on A27 with a short acceleration lane
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dDb_g79I/AAAAAAAAC-g/RbZtz_6iJAU/s800/PB240010.JPG

Very substandard interchange, with traffic lights! A27 x A59 (Knooppunt Hoolpolder).
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dDy0ywCI/AAAAAAAAC-s/Jy7lNepEDkA/s800/PB240013.JPG

There, you can find this (IMO) hard-to-see-and-notice-and-use-as-guidance ubiquitous signs fixed on posts. You can't react to them until it's too late, particularly in this carriageways with turning lanes and so.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dEb_i-pI/AAAAAAAAC-0/jJCQQKKu1d4/s800/PB240015.JPG

Now we are on A16. Massive highway, followed on a long stretch by the HSL-4 high-speed railway. Instead of going to Rotterdam, I took A59 west to deviate from expected congestions in Dordrecht. Both A58 and A59 are "shift" northward when crossing A16, so they have, each, two interchanges with A16.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dG3Pa71I/AAAAAAAAC_g/rdlnSJNSOeg/s800/PB240025.JPG

Approaching interchange Noordhoek (for the occasional visitor: all Dutch interchanges have names and are called "Knooppunt" in Dutch), where A17 splits A59. By the way, does anyone know whether both codes (A17, A59) are applied to the sector they share in common, or whether it's called just one way or other?
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dHQJMWmI/AAAAAAAAC_o/pRJVjMrLg_Q/s800/PB240027.JPG

To make a contrast, this is a very generous ramp with decent acceleration lane, following the interchange above
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dH-YxvRI/AAAAAAAAC_s/bkG6bz55hxs/s800/PB240028.JPG

Weather was worsening (compare the first picture of the post above, just 40min before or less), but the route got interesting. We are above one of the dams of the Delta Project. A59 becomes N59, and A29 (which also shares a sector with A59, every highway shares a sector with it lol) heads north.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dI0vIHrI/AAAAAAAADAA/0KYZCR7_liI/s800/PB240033.JPG

Drawbridge on the aforementioned dam's lock for boats.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dJLvIpSI/AAAAAAAADAE/koZKRToBU94/s800/PB240034.JPG

Halinvingletbrug bridge (brug=bridge but I don't know if it is correct to drop just part of a word :p)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dJROOzUI/AAAAAAAADAM/11oUUpCyk44/s800/PB240036.JPG

The wiper spoils everything, but I still wanted to post this picture, as it shows the exact point where A4 was supposed to connect with A29. I don't know about projects to close this gap (not to mistake for the Delft-Schiedam A4 gap, A4 is the most "gapped" highway in the country).
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dJvrHREI/AAAAAAAADAU/tIuLEGThw4M/s800/PB240038.JPG

I finally entered into A15, the gateway to the Rotterdam Port, second busiest in the World. As predicted, the share of trucks in the road is HUGE, far higher than other motorways. The more we move towards the port, the less scarce cars become. Trucks own the final sector, you feel small and powerless out there lol

Hainernoord tunnel, A29
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dL7ZaPHI/AAAAAAAADAo/Pin5urj9uac/s800/PB240043.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dMZWQ7uI/AAAAAAAADAs/RQKblgZfm2U/s800/PB240044.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dNRY7eJI/AAAAAAAADA0/aCFSAgcO6Js/s800/PB240046.JPG

Dynamic traffic panel covering the "ring" formed by A4, A20, A16, A15. All white = no traffic jams.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dOCAgNXI/AAAAAAAADA8/jhfOjatY2-E/s800/PB240048.JPG

A29 x A15 interchange. I assume it had to be reconstructed because of the Betuwe Route Freigh Railway.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dOZbf2aI/AAAAAAAADBA/LMjs8ePBJq0/s800/PB240049.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dOdMvlpI/AAAAAAAADBE/Fe3VY_xZtoU/s800/PB240050.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dOlYuWaI/AAAAAAAADBI/ARpKp3kwMnU/s800/PB240051.JPG

Being the main gateway to Rotterdam Port, A15 has a high share of truck traffic. The more you go into the port area, the less common cars become.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dPqKE9RI/AAAAAAAADBU/tNyvhRjSdcE/s800/PB240054.JPG

Knooppunt Benelux
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dQPKLLEI/AAAAAAAADBc/mTMcRGHnJDM/s800/PB240056.JPG

Massive tunnel (it is not long, but the walls are very impressive)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dQZ5ygPI/AAAAAAAADBg/izB_gMBOHNA/s800/PB240057.JPG

Undercrossing the Betuwe Route Railway line, which lies next to A15 for a long stretch.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dRE3JjnI/AAAAAAAADBs/NrhjFSiFhNE/s800/PB240060.JPG

Another tunnel. At this point, within the port area, I could count surely 4 trucks for every carhttp://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dR78NtAI/AAAAAAAADBw/KHlkbCyYoBY/s800/PB240061.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dSPjFdII/AAAAAAAADB0/es_YWmMher8/s800/PB240062.JPG

A15 now becomes N15 short after this curve, but it is still a decent 2x2 expressway until it degrades into a 1x1 road.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dSy5rm_I/AAAAAAAADB8/b5b0Aorecz0/s800/PB240064.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7daK4xWKI/AAAAAAAADDY/0hVRil7GUf0/s800/PB240086.JPG

This is no cute-windmill-and-tulips Netherlands at all! But industrial sites have their own particular beauty.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dT7_x8dI/AAAAAAAADCM/wBPou0c6HI8/s800/PB240067.JPG

To the left there is the Maasvlatket 2 construction site, an enormous land reclamation project to increase the space at Rotterdam Port. Some critics say it would be better to team up with Antwerpen Port and expand there, at cheaper costs. But I don't understand much of ports.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7daLDCCDI/AAAAAAAADDU/CM9dgmb7ZA8/s800/PB240085.JPG

Pipeline on the roadside
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dYJ1JSOI/AAAAAAAADDA/aj9Iq7WshpI/s800/PB240080.JPG

Sign in English
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dUe2XcPI/AAAAAAAADCU/CS7tVjgy-3k/s800/PB240069.JPG

Almost at the end of N15. To the left, big (enourmous) oil tanks, to the left, this massive earth wall which is part of the dyke build against the North Sea, which lies just out there.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dVOKBQEI/AAAAAAAADCk/BfYH7U7GdME/s800/PB240073.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dV36BAjI/AAAAAAAADCs/zUxeMY0sis0/s800/PB240075.JPG

It's big: 45km from Rotterdam!
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dZdM1VEI/AAAAAAAADDI/2BTyv4DUPBc/s800/PB240082.JPG

After Rotterdam Port, I headed for N57. It is a very special road, because it was built over many of the structures of Delta Project in the 70-80s. As a result, Zeeland got far better connections between the islands. Weather didn't help much, but pictures are here.

N57 has a 100km/h limit for most of it. High winds make the ride quite "interesting", particularly when in the open, facing just the sea.

I joined N57 near Nieuwenhoorn. Here, it is a 1+1 with median. I don't know why the median t.b.h.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dbwA3U9I/AAAAAAAADDw/Ud_rc3v_-2U/s800/PB240092.JPG

Crossing the Harlingvliet dam, essential to keep the inland areas dry in case of a storm surge. First they thought of just closing the link, but for environmental, agricultural and drinking water supply reasons, they decide to build some dams instead of dykes.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dcXIP02I/AAAAAAAADD8/IoTVpq-4euI/s800/PB240095.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dcuUiZCI/AAAAAAAADEA/NLmOz3oljIg/s800/PB240096.JPG

Again, 1+1 with median near Stellendam
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7ddSsGE8I/AAAAAAAADEI/JX7eSSvXYVk/s800/PB240098.JPG

This is the Brouwen dyke. It completely closed off the North Sea (right) from the inland water body (left)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7deH9MhwI/AAAAAAAADEQ/cK2CG2f7Yk4/s800/PB240100.JPG

In some sectors, the road is inexplicably worse. Indeed, there is an explanation (I suppose): it used lower alignments from provincial roads that were there before the Delta Project. They should enlarge/widen these sectors, they are all in the middle of farmland!
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dezn8-EI/AAAAAAAADEg/oYY5_T00Itc/s800/PB240104.JPG

Sun, clouds, time didn't help at all, but this is the biggest of all Delta Projects structures: the Neetje Jans dam. It regulates the flow from the Westerschelde (left) into the North Sea (right). There are three sets of dams, which are closed only in case of storm surges. There is also a small lock able to keep the fisher boat traffic, and a big museum, visitor center and water park. The site is very interesting: pillars and other concrete structures used on the dam were built on site, on a dry lock, which was then flooded to allow boats to move them into place. The result are some inland areas and an 2 artificial islands (connecting the 3 sets of gates)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dfMcSuCI/AAAAAAAADEk/339jazNXg2k/s800/PB240105.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dg3vIluI/AAAAAAAADFA/MLzHjcyYOr8/s800/PB240110.JPG

The road runs over those gates
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7diqbwNiI/AAAAAAAADFc/mpOdUAHC4Wc/s800/PB240117.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Bu7OVagAQz0/TO7dlrw1p5I/AAAAAAAADGU/wgnXn55oN_s/s800/PB240131.JPG

A2 Maastricht

The endless stream of breakthroughs in major road projects does not end! This week, minister Schultz of infrastructure signed the record of decision for the A2 tunnel in Maastricht. This tunnel will feature two decks with 4 lanes each, 2x2 for local and 2x2 for through traffic. Construction is planned to start in 2011 and should be completed in 2016.

More information about this rather unique (but not pioneering) project on the website http://www.a2maastricht.nl/page.aspx?id=343 (English).

^^

Sun, clouds, time didn't help at all, but this is the biggest of all Delta Projects structures: the Neetje Jans dam. It regulates the flow from the Westerschelde (left) into the North Sea (right). There are three sets of dams, which are closed only in case of storm surges. There is also a small lock able to keep the fisher boat traffic, and a big museum, visitor center and water park. The site is very interesting: pillars and other concrete structures used on the dam were built on site, on a dry lock, which was then flooded to allow boats to move them into place. The result are some inland areas and an 2 artificial islands (connecting the 3 sets of gates)


This is not the "Westerschelde", but the "Oosterschelde". There's no dike or dam at the westerschelde.
http://www.vrouwenpolder.nu/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/oosterscheldekering.jpg http://proto5.thinkquest.nl/~lle0390/contentImg/dammen.jpg

A12 Den Haag - Utrecht

New 4th lane on eastbound A12, starting just before Woerden and continues to interchange Oudenrijn.

Pics by Mario Blaak:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRi5rzyEI/AAAAAAAASqY/-8r6qjr98vs/s800/IMG_0565.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRk6X52DI/AAAAAAAASqg/WchoGEGRp8I/s800/IMG_0567.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRnLIUeRI/AAAAAAAASqo/bKg5RNuH28I/s800/IMG_0569.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRpf-TsMI/AAAAAAAASqw/WUCNdqb0Crs/s800/IMG_0571.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRrzdxz6I/AAAAAAAASq4/dWD0mm_MXgo/s800/IMG_0573.JPG

6 lanes:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_svQJ2nrp0dY/TPKRtZJveRI/AAAAAAAASrA/6kQ_PLK8F2w/s800/IMG_0575.JPG

The A44 motorway is the first in the world to have LED lighting, according to Rijkswaterstaat.

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/1893/a44y.jpg

A58 Eindhoven - Tilburg

Minster Schultz officially inaugurated the 3rd lane on A58 between interchange Batadorp and Oirschot (6.5 km) today. She had some interesting facts, on the Brabant part of A2, traffic congestion was reduced by 84% due to the widenings around Den Bosch and Eindhoven.

Ah, a genuine Dutch traffic chaos, we're talking about 2 cm of snow after all. Total: 3.000 kilometer queue.

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1765/stau.png