Dutch Highways & Autosnelwegen

[CborG]

Post info here :)

[CborG]

New Highways:

A50 Oss-Eindhoven construction 2000-2006:

Veghel/Uden zuid 8 september 2003
Aansluiting Uden zuid 11 december 2003
Son 11 september 2003
Uden noord 1 oktober 2003
Sint-Oedenrode 2 juli 2004
Bernheze/Oss/ Landerd 5 oktober 2005
Knooppunt Paalgraven mei 2006

http://www.aanlega50.nl/img/tek/overzicht_index.gif

The last part, the connection with the excisting A50 and the A59 is has just been completed

http://www.aanlega50.nl/img/foto/grafis1paalgraven.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/3886/paalgraven10a7kc.jpg
photo: PW100 from the Dutch Highwayforum (http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl)

[CborG]

Ohter Highways U.C.:

A37 Emmen-German-border

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2752/a37ga6.jpg

A73 Venlo-Roermond:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5392/untitledwj0.jpg

A35 around Almelo:

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/2218/a35tc1.jpg

[Doveling]

It was about time the 61 from Germany got a proper connection in Venlo

[Des]

From Autosnelwegen.nl:

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2375/rijstroken6jy.th.gif (http://img522.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rijstroken6jy.gif)

All highways with number of lanes by color.

[Alargule]

It was about time the 61 from Germany got a proper connection in Venlo

That's exactly the part that's NOT under construction, sadly enough...:ohno: One might indeed ask when the Venlo community comes to its senses and decides to no longer oppose the construction of the A74 (which would become one of the shortest highways in Holland) - all the traffic going directly through the town at this moment can't be that much fun, either...

[Alargule]

Most construction work on a single highway is to take place on the A2. There arre no less than six different parts of this highway that should receive an upgrade between now and 2020:

Between Amsterdam and Utrecht, the highway is widened to 2x5 lanes; more info to be found here (http://www.a2info.nl/)

Between Utrecht and Deil junction, the highway should be widened to 2x3 lanes;

Around the city of Den Bosch, the highway should be re-constructed to 4x2 lanes; two junctions should be reconstructed as well:

http://www.a2denbosch.nl/img/tek/project_geluids.jpg

Between Den Bosch and Eindhoven, the highway should be widened to 2x3, although a definite decision has yet to be taken;

Around Eindhoven, the highway should be reconstructed in a similar order like around Den Bosch. This is a project with a larger scope, though, since Eindhoven serves as an important junction for many highways (A2, A50, A58, A67 and A270). Four junctions should be reconstructed; more info can be found here (http://www.rws.nl/rws/dnb/projecten/randwegeindhoven/project/tracebesluit/kaart_overzicht_tbwijz0405.pdf)

Finally, the A2 should go underground in the city of Maastricht, where the highway currently runs through as a city boulevard. No definite 'go ahead' has been given here, either.

[Joshapd]

From Autosnelwegen.nl:

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2375/rijstroken6jy.th.gif (http://img522.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rijstroken6jy.gif)

All highways with number of lanes by color.

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/8075/2x3nodig8qc.gif
Roads with more than 55.000 vehicles a day

[CborG]

A renewed piece of highway A12 near Utrecht, six lanes! Only for a kilometre or so, but still:)

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6636/6baansvj3.jpg

[CborG]

Some pictures of highways A2 and A12:

A12 near Utrecht:

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2509/a128ft.jpg

A2 between Amsterdam and Utrecht:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2538/a22vk9.jpg

Annoying traffic jams!!

http://img476.imageshack.us/img476/8162/a2filetx3.jpg

That's why this road gets 4 extra lanes, see Alargules reply, here's a new viaduct:

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9357/viaducta2iv4.jpg

In 3 years this will look completely different:

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4530/a21ui0.jpg

Further south, Near my hometown the A2 is also widened from a narrow 2x2 to 2x3 with enough room for a 2x5 road:

Before:

http://pic12.picturetrail.com/VOL446/2302071/4514906/57322114.jpg

After:

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5140/a2noord29zh.jpg

All pictures are selfmade

[Doveling]

This picture shows the preparations of the widening of the A2 from 2x3 to 2x5

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2953/20xk.jpg

[eusebius]

The latest asset that got added to the highways of The Netherlands: voting-poll booths! With the latest elections, voters in the Netherlands were in the position to leave their ballot paper at the gas station.

[ChrisZwolle]

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/8075/2x3nodig8qc.gif
Roads with more than 55.000 vehicles a day

Both of them were made by me ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6195/100000oo1.gif (http://imageshack.us)

This is a map, on them are roads marked in blue which have more than 100.000 vehicles a day, data is from 2006.

Roads about to reach this level soon (before 2010):

A1 Apeldoorn - Deventer
A2 Den Bosch - Eindhoven
A6 near Almere
A9 north of Haarlem
A12 Zoetermeer - Gouda, east of Utrecht, east of Arnhem
A15 Rotterdam - Gorinchem
A16 near Breda
A27 Gorinchem - Utrecht and Utrecht - Almere
A28 Zwolle - Meppel
A58 Tilburg - Eindhoven

[acela]

What is the design specification for the Dutch motorway?

[ChrisZwolle]

What is the design specification for the Dutch motorway?

At least 2 lanes in each direction, divided by a median.
Interchanges - no grade crossings.
Hard shoulders/emergency lanes
Width is mostly 3,5 meters per lane, but varies near build-up areas to 3,20 meters.

Design speed is mostly 140 - 160 km/h or more, but not in interchanges, junctions, and near cities, but it is said to be at least 100km/h.

Maximum speed is outside urban areas mostly 120km/h, but 100km/h stretches become more regular. There are even 80km/h speed limits on six lane motorways, forced with camera's.

[dick 2]

At least 2 lanes in each direction, divided by a median.
Interchanges - no grade crossings.
Hard shoulders/emergency lanes
Width is mostly 3,5 meters per lane, but varies near build-up areas to 3,20 meters.

Design speed is mostly 140 - 160 km/h or more, but not in interchanges, junctions, and near cities, but it is said to be at least 100km/h.

Maximum speed is outside urban areas mostly 120km/h, but 100km/h stretches become more regular. There are even 80km/h speed limits on six lane motorways, forced with camera's.


I wonder there are no Topographic maps on the side shown, they are the best for accurate road information, every four year the whole Netherlands updated!! See/look for: Topografische Dienst-Kadaster, Emmen, Nederland.

[CborG]

Some of the widest highways in Europe can be found in NL, especially around Rotterdam:

A4, the western part of the ring road around Rotterdam:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8591/bredewega4ie6.png

A15, the sourtern part:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5544/bredewega15so9.png

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/1230/bredewega152dl6.png

A16, van Brienenoordbrug:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3404/brienenoordbrugny6.png

And the widest highway in the Netherlands, also the A16:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4729/bredewega16qm5.png

[ChrisZwolle]

That last image are actually two motorways; the A15 and A16 Motorway. Just a bit north (Van Brienenoord Bridge) is the busiest road in The Netherlands. Some 250.000 vehicles cross this bridge every day, it is busier than any German Autobahn, and is know to be one of the busiest roads of Europe. Competing the London beltway, and second to the Moscow and Madrid beltways.

[ChrisZwolle]

Here in NL, traffic Jams are notorious. With a little rain and a very little snow around The Hague (Den Haag), we have immediatly a huge traffic jam, which spreads like a virus throughout the Randstad region.

This was the situation just before 6pm.

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/4031/filesvoorzesuurrw7.jpg

A lot of these very busy motorways (AADT up to 250.000) have only 2 lanes per direction, for instance parts of the A4 from Leiden to Amsterdam, and parts of the A12 from The Hague to Gouda, and the A20 from Rotterdam to Gouda.
Also the A9 north of Haarlem has only 2 lanes per direction. But also the A27 and A28 near Utrecht, and the A2 south of Utrecht. Well, the jam today on the A2 was quite big, but we've seen it (many times) before.

Another worse thing is, that most intercity routes from the Randstad region towards Germany and Belgium are only 2x2 lanes, and have enourmous amounts of truck-traffic. On the A1, A12, A15, A16, A27, A28 and A67 the right lane is almost completely taken by trucks.

Some motorways have over 100.000 vehicles a day, and still have only 2x2 lanes, like the A28 near Amersfoort and Zwolle, the A4 north of Leiden, the A2 south of Utrecht, the A15 east of Rotterdam, the A20 northeast of Rotterdam, the A12 east of The Hague, the A50 near Arnhem etc.

That makes the Dutch traffic-jam-solutions very complicated. You widen one road, and the traffic jams continue on an motorway next to it. This problem came sinds 1990, when there wasn't almost any road wideningproject since.

Normal rushhours have about some 300km of traffic jam, that is 2 times more than in Germany, which have 5 times more inhabitants.

[Verso]

^ What about traffic jams in Ruhr? That metropolitan area is even larger than Randstad.

Anyway, thanks for the photos, they are nice, we don't often get an opportunity to see a new motorway in the Netherlands, hehe.

[ChrisZwolle]

Traffic jams in the Ruhr are notorious, but not as extensive as in the Randstad regio. For instance, our busiest road is twice as busy as the busiest road in the Ruhr valley (A40).

Normal evening rushhours here are twice the length in whole Germany. So you can see our traffic problem is much bigger, which doesn't say Germany hasn't got traffic problems.

Normal morning rushhours here give some 300km of traffic jam, and evening jams about 200 - 300 kms. But those are regular rushhours, and many are more busy.

Tomorrow, you will see what a busy rushhour is in NL; a lot of snow (10cm) is expected during the evening rushhour. The record today stands at 950km of traffic jam, see if we shall break it...or not.

[ChrisZwolle]

Today: normal rushhour, around 5pm.
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/2953/files725uurcc9.th.jpg (http://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=files725uurcc9.jpg)

[Nephasto]

A lot of these very busy motorways (AADT up to 250.000) have only 2 lanes per direction, for instance parts of the A4 from Leiden to Amsterdam, and parts of the A12 from The Hague to Gouda, and the A20 from Rotterdam to Gouda.
Also the A9 north of Haarlem has only 2 lanes per direction. But also the A27 and A28 near Utrecht, and the A2 south of Utrecht. Well, the jam today on the A2 was quite big, but we've seen it (many times) before.

Another worse thing is, that most intercity routes from the Randstad region towards Germany and Belgium are only 2x2 lanes, and have enourmous amounts of truck-traffic. On the A1, A12, A15, A16, A27, A28 and A67 the right lane is almost completely taken by trucks.

Some motorways have over 100.000 vehicles a day, and still have only 2x2 lanes, like the A28 near Amersfoort and Zwolle, the A4 north of Leiden, the A2 south of Utrecht, the A15 east of Rotterdam, the A20 northeast of Rotterdam, the A12 east of The Hague, the A50 near Arnhem etc.

That makes the Dutch traffic-jam-solutions very complicated. You widen one road, and the traffic jams continue on an motorway next to it. This problem came sinds 1990, when there wasn't almost any road wideningproject since.

Normal rushhours have about some 300km of traffic jam, that is 2 times more than in Germany, which have 5 times more inhabitants.


Well, it seems that the Netherlands needs a major investment program in it's motorways, and not just an enlargement here and there.

Big problems take big measures (big investments) to be solved. ;)

I want to see all Dutch motorways with 4 lanes per direction!! :D :banana:

[Joshapd]

Traffic jams in the Ruhr are notorious, but not as extensive as in the Randstad regio. For instance, our busiest road is twice as busy as the busiest road in the Ruhr valley (A40).

Normal evening rushhours here are twice the length in whole Germany. So you can see our traffic problem is much bigger, which doesn't say Germany hasn't got traffic problems.

Normal morning rushhours here give some 300km of traffic jam, and evening jams about 200 - 300 kms. But those are regular rushhours, and many are more busy.

Tomorrow, you will see what a busy rushhour is in NL; a lot of snow (10cm) is expected during the evening rushhour. The record today stands at 950km of traffic jam, see if we shall break it...or not.

:shocked:There were hardly any big traffic jams, even less then normal!

[Joshapd]

Well, it seems that the Netherlands needs a major investment program in it's motorways, and not just an enlargement here and there.

Big problems take big measures (big investments) to be solved. ;)

I want to see all Dutch motorways with 4 lanes per direction!! :D :banana:

Belief me, that would never happen! Not in this country were everybody is a nimby:bash:

[Jeroen669]

I want to see all Dutch motorways with 4 lanes per direction!! :banana:

If you would say all Dutch railways should get 4 tracks, it would be more realistic. :ohno:

[ChrisZwolle]

:shocked:There were hardly any big traffic jams, even less then normal!

Yeah unbelievable! Even traffic experts are stunned by wat happened, they expected 500km of traffic jam and it was... 15km :lol:

[SkyView]

Traffic jams in the Ruhr are notorious, but not as extensive as in the Randstad regio. For instance, our busiest road is twice as busy as the busiest road in the Ruhr valley (A40).

Normal evening rushhours here are twice the length in whole Germany. So you can see our traffic problem is much bigger, which doesn't say Germany hasn't got traffic problems.

Normal morning rushhours here give some 300km of traffic jam, and evening jams about 200 - 300 kms. But those are regular rushhours, and many are more busy.

Tomorrow, you will see what a busy rushhour is in NL; a lot of snow (10cm) is expected during the evening rushhour. The record today stands at 950km of traffic jam, see if we shall break it...or not.

You are really proud of so much traffic jams in your country, aren't you ?

Your comparison only proves that Germany has a much better traffic handling than the Netherlands, that's all.
:cheers:

[Quintana]

Or better drivers :D

[th0m]

Yeah those trafficjams really aren't something to be proud of. Then again, there is no clear-cut answer.

[ChrisZwolle]

You are really proud of so much traffic jams in your country, aren't you ?

No. It states, that there really have to be done something with these traffic-jams. A trip on a motorway outside urban areas of 50km takes 2 hours, and that is ridiculous.


Your comparison only proves that Germany has a much better traffic handling than the Netherlands, that's all.
:cheers:

They certainly have. They have long distance 2x3 lanes motorways, we haven't got that, even not inside the Randstad region. But traffic patterns in Germany and The Netherlands are quite different. Germans have a much better Bundesstraße-network, than we have in National and Provincial roads.

[Jeroen669]

You are really proud of so much traffic jams in your country, aren't you ?

No, but we have lots of thing to be proud of, to reduce those traffic jams!

- Betuwelijn (cargo railway)
- HSL (high speed railway)
- Randstadrail (degradation from a railway to a tramway)
- Kilometerheffing (paying for using the freeway)

:puke:

[ChrisZwolle]

Well, not only motorways have traffic jams. I drive every day 14km to work, on the ringroad of Zwolle. In rushhours it takes 50 minutes to handle those 14kms :nuts:

[Rebasepoiss]

Isn't Holland the only country in the world with 100% lighted motorways?

[Joshapd]

^^ No, AFAIK I know Belgium has more lighted highways then the Netherlands.

[ChrisZwolle]

Isn't Holland the only country in the world with 100% lighted motorways?

Thats Belgium. In the Netherlands is about 1 / 3rd lit.

[Rebasepoiss]

Ok....Bad memory then ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

I heard there is a chance for an A35 from Zwolle to Almelo. That would be good! :)

[Almopos]

An extension of the A73 and A15 would help to relieve the traffic jams in the Arnhem - Nijmegen area. They have been talking about it for so many years.

I'm not very optimistic though! The NIMBY city council of Nijmegen does not want the extension of the A73. As for the A 15 there are no funds to pay for that project!

[ChrisZwolle]

Well, leftism is a problem if you consider road-infrastructure. Specially in Nijmegen or Utrecht or Amsterdam, where the local government is not really cooperating to relief those cities worse traffic jams.

[ChrisZwolle]

Another thing, you see often in The Netherlands, is that they use extremely narrow lanes on the motorway's left side, or they use the shoulder during rushhours as an extra lane.

I don't know about that. It certainly increases unsafety, since some motorways are so overcrowded, that the shoulder has to be used all day.
I just drove over the A28 through Zwolle, they have those extra lanes on the left side, which is only 2,5 meters wide, with a barrier immediatly next to it. Barely anyone tries that lane, unless you've got a small car.

They should widen roads with normal lanes. The initial costs are a bit higher, but exploitaition and maintenance costs more if you think of a time of 5 years. And a normal lane doesn't decrease traffic-safety.
So i hope, they step off these shoulderlanes, and build normal ones instead, they are generally only 90cm wider.

They've done that on the A12 near Arnhem. They first want to build such a lane on the shoulder, but it came out that that lane has to be used all day long, so the shoulder wouldn't be available to emergency vehicles etc, so they are planning to build a normal lane instead! Good news! :)

[Red85]

in quality we may have one of the best in the world, the most are even better than some in germany. but in quantity of lanes and speed it isnt enough. that is realy something I do not understand. why allways that ignorant 120 or 100 or even 80. fuck off, it is 'snelweg', in english: speedway. why cant you drive in areas like the flevopolder or during the night times something faster. and that point makes it the worst in europe.

[Verso]

^ Switzerland is no better. :D

[ChrisZwolle]

A pic of the A4 near Schiphol Airport.

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3113/img0987anet800ve1.jpg

[ChrisZwolle]

For those who are interested, i made photo's of some Provincial roads in the Northeast.

N307 Swifterbant - Kampen 22km, 52 pics 25,6MB (http://rapidshare.com/files/20518592/N307.rar.html)

N331 Zwolle - Emmeloord 39km, 84 pics, 41,9MB (http://www.bigupload.com/d=A30BC28C)

N381 Emmen - Drachten 59km, 98 pics, 13,5 MB (http://www.bigupload.com/d=E6803A56)

N331, N377, N34 Zwolle - Hasselt - Coevorden - Emmen, 67km 140 pics, 18,4MB (http://rapidshare.com/files/20026736/N331_-_N377_-_N34.rar.html)

see this (http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl/viewforum.php?f=11) subforum on the Dutch Motorway forum for more information.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Chris, I noticed some numbers on the traffic lights (e.g. 7.1, 7.2, 8.1). Do you know what they mean?

http://mikul.net/images/traffic_light.jpg

By the way, I really like those white stripes painted on the traffic light poles. Makes it more visible.

[ChrisZwolle]

They mean a number, which they can be identified with. If some traffic light is broken or something, they can identify the one which is broken by the intersection and number. I don't know if it is used a lot, but you see it everywhere.

[Eddy C]

@Chris1491

Due to my study Traffic Management I know what these mysterious numbers mean. They explain the direction. On a normal junction you have 12 directions. You start counting with '1' for the direction South to East. '2' for South to North. '3' for South to West. '4' for West to South and so on.
For the picture it means that direction '7' goes from North to West.
I hope you understand it as explaining it in Dutch is already difficult.
the '1' in 7.1 means that it is the main'light' 7.2 can be seen lower at the corner of the junction or somewhere else.

Believe me, when you know all about the system it gives you a different view of the junctions. There are much more things to explain about it but that is too much now.
Unfortunally direction 1 is not always from South to East as it depends on the council. But direction 1 is always turning left like direction 7 is also turning left.

[Eddy C]

turning right of course..........

[ChrisZwolle]

Ah alright, so if a traffic light is broken, they know what direction is disturbed.

[Eddy C]

Hmmmm....yes, but often all lights are broken instead of one. The reason to choose this system is proper management. Trafficlights are more then just colored lights as they need to create a safe situation and no congestion.

[CborG]

Here are some updates from the widening of the Motorway A2 near Utrecht

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6148/img7914800vz3.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/6548/img7915800lf3.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/2551/img79131600fi0.jpg
(photo's by PW100 from http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl)

the A35 around Almelo is also UC:

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_8017.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_8019.jpg

Bridge over the Twente canal:

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_8014.jpg
(photo's by Taurus)

The A73 Venlo-Roermond is nearing completion, no recent photo's available.

[Geokioy]

You have very impressive motorways:) ...but too many traffic jams:ohno: . I think your popolutioan is around 20 million people, how many cars are there in circulation?? thanks for the info...

[ChrisZwolle]

You have very impressive motorways:) ...but too many traffic jams:ohno: . I think your popolutioan is around 20 million people, how many cars are there in circulation?? thanks for the info...

There are around 16 million inhabitants, and 7 million cars in this country. But the amount of trucks is also huge, since we are a distribution country, the load of trucks on some motorways (A1, A12, A15, A16, A27, A28, A67, A76) is overwhelming.

[ChrisZwolle]

typical traffic jams on the A28 near Zwolle.
http://i18.tinypic.com/2m2hyr9.jpg

http://i17.tinypic.com/2j0m9mq.jpg

Check the amount of trucks:
http://i17.tinypic.com/2hqxulc.jpg

this view is common along Dutch motorways towards Germany and Belgium.

http://i16.tinypic.com/42mm8ig.jpg

[keber]

Curious. As there are a lot of trucks, does anybody think of introducing toll at least for them (like in Germany)? I'm sure authorities would collect a lot of money to use them for highway improvements.

[carfentanyl]

I've been on a lot of freeways all around the world, but I have never ever encountered a freeway with a higher truck density than the A16, the freeway between the seaports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Sometimes the right lane is just a pepetual ongoing parade of trucks without a single car.

[ChrisZwolle]

Curious. As there are a lot of trucks, does anybody think of introducing toll at least for them (like in Germany)? I'm sure authorities would collect a lot of money to use them for highway improvements.

Trucks are highly important for the Dutch economy. But truck tolls might be an option. But then again, they pay a lot of taxes by fueling in The Netherlands or elsewere.

[CborG]

Some random Highwaypics:

A2 near Nieuwegein, you can see the old Lekbridge and the new one nexrt to each other, untill 1999 all the traffic had to go over that small bridge, the new one is wide enough to carry 5 lanes in each direction. Room for a forth lane in 2010 is visible on the left side:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2447/a2ngeinzuidzx5.jpg

Old piece of A2:

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/195/a2cborgbeesdqt7.jpg

A2, Very narrow bridge near Beesd, south of Utrecht. This stretch will be widened to 2x4 lanes by 2010:

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5201/brugbeesdho4.jpg

A12, part of ring Utrecht:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1983/a128uf.jpg

A12, a Dynamic Route Information Panel or DRIP: (correct me if im wrong:))

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1494/a12demeernih6.png

A15, very busy with lots of trucks near Tiel, the betuweline is on the left side.

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7997/a15tieljb0.png

A15, other direction. Alongside the Betuweline:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5788/a15vurenbq0.png

Lekbridge A27 on the other side of Nieuwegein:

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5442/a27lekbrugjo4.jpg

[ChrisZwolle]

A12, a Dynamic Route Information Panel or DRIP: (correct me if im wrong)

In English, VMS (Variable Message Sign) is more common.

[LtBk]

How many motorways are being widened?

[ChrisZwolle]

How many motorways are being widened?

Not enough. But there is some progress.

The A2 will be a construction site over a significant length.
There are wishes to widen way more motorways, but very few of them are actually done. The majority keeps being postponed.

[mrmojo]

Very interesting. However, I do have to ask that for a country like the netherlands why rail does not take a greater priority - netherlands population density seems to be very well suited for it.

[ChrisZwolle]

Very interesting. However, I do have to ask that for a country like the netherlands why rail does not take a greater priority - netherlands population density seems to be very well suited for it.

Our rail system is amongst the busiest of Europe.

But the density of the Randstad region is way not high enough to support large U/S-bahn like rail. Now we have lightrail on some places, but that's not gonna work out.

And travelling by rail is very inefficient compared to road travelling.

[LtBk]

Our rail system is amongst the busiest of Europe.

But the density of the Randstad region is way not high enough to support large U/S-bahn like rail. Now we have lightrail on some places, but that's not gonna work out.

And travelling by rail is very inefficient compared to road travelling.

Why do you think traveling by rail is very inefficient?

[ChrisZwolle]

Why do you think traveling by rail is very inefficient?

Because train links mostly only city-centers, and in The Netherlands, city centers have more a historic purpose rather than a working environment. That takes place at other locations like industrial areas, which are badly connected with mass transit.

From house to work, most PT trips takes over twice the time as with the car, even at relative short distances up to 20 kilometers.

[ChrisZwolle]

For example, i work at the other end of town, which is some 15km away. With the car it takes 20 minutes off-rushhour and 30 - 45 minutes in rush hour. But taking the Public Transport (buses) it would always take 1 hour, and the chance of missing a connection is there because there is only a 2 minute gap between the 2 buses. Therefore, i like to prefer the car, i can leave any time i like, and take any route i like. With the bus, you have to wait at the bus first, which can last 15 - 30 minutes, so you have to add that to the 1 hour trip.

[ChrisZwolle]

For those who are interested:

here (http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl/viewtopic.php?t=7566) you can find pics i took today from the German B54 and the Dutch A/N 35 from Gronau to Zwolle. The N35 is a major artery in the province of Overijssel, but it isn't a motorway yet, in fact, it goes right through towns like Almelo, Zwolle and Nijverdal, these pics were taken today, sunday, but the road jams up badly on working days.

However, they are building a short connection bypass near Almelo, so that's one obstacle less on the route from Western Overijssel to the Twente region.

[DannyH]

There are around 16 million inhabitants, and 7 million cars in this country.(..)

Actually, there are over 8 million cars (don't know if trucks are included though, I guess not), on almost 16.5 million inhabitants.
Way too much!

[ChrisZwolle]

Way too much!

How should people travel otherwise?

[LtBk]

How should people travel otherwise?

By using mass transit? Using mass transit has its own advantages, and you can't force everybody to drive like in the US.

[ChrisZwolle]

Mass transit is very inefficient compared to a car. I used to travel a lot to the north of the country, which is some 75 miles away from where i live. With the car, that takes just over an hour, but over 2,5 hours with mass transit.

And mass transit is overcrowded already during rush hours.

[Rebasepoiss]

Mass transit is very inefficient compared to a car. I used to travel a lot to the north of the country, which is some 75 miles away from where i live. With the car, that takes just over an hour, but over 2,5 hours with mass transit.

And mass transit is overcrowded already during rush hours.
Then perhaps the government should support public transport more...

[ChrisZwolle]

Then perhaps the government should support public transport more...

They do it already. However the PT is used ten times less, it get's already 3 to 4 times more funding.

The problem is, that work is very concentrated in some areas, with urban sleep cities at some 10 - 30km distance, and all that traffic has to travel over a road that has the same width as back in the seventies, but a ten times higher traffic volume than then. That gives problems.

During rushhours, most of the central and western part and around larger cities is completely jammed. The road between The Hague/Rotterdam and Amsterdam is still 2x2 lanes in some places, and 2x5 in other stretches. That gives huge bottlenecks. And the road between The Hague and Utrecht and between Rotterdam and Utrecht is also still 2x2 lanes.

They are converting the 2x3 A2 between Utrecht and Amsterdam to a 2x5 highway, which is badly needed, since traffic jams become longer and longer, with daily distances between 20 and 30km of backup.
In Rushhours, the A2 is almost completely jammed between Den Bosch and Amsterdam.

[ChrisZwolle]

Oh, and not unimportant, there are almost no alternatives for the motorway. So all local and regional have to use the motorway too. That gives high volumes in rural areas too.

[Joshapd]

Yes and one of the problems of PT is that it, busses at least, mostly also use the congested roads in the city, but also outside it. So mostly taking a bike is the quickest way when you don't need to go really far.

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah, did you know Dutch people travel more miles annualy on a bicycle than with the train?

[LtBk]

he PT is used ten times less

Than why not improve PT? Again, not everybody wants to drive and no amount of motorway widening isn't going to solve traffic problems in long term(look at US freeways for example).

[ChrisZwolle]

It is much cheaper for the government to invest in the roads. PT only costs billions each year, while driving, the government gets like 14 billion each year in taxes and stuff.

And it is proven that a better PT doesnt attract drivers, so you have a very expensive PT, and still jamming and polluting motorways.
Investing in motorways is so much better for air pollution than investing in PT.

The last years, there has been such a waste of money in PT.

1 billion in a automatic bus that doesn't work in Eindhoven
7 billion for an High speed rail, while upgrading of the existing tracks, or double the existing tracks was much cheaper.
5 billion for an already absolutely not cost-effective freight rail line, which isn't even in operation yet.
billions for free PT.

And did the traffic jams become shorter? No, they become longer every year, annually the traffic jams rise with 10%, while traffic growth is limited to just 2 or 3%.

[CborG]

Some renders of the widened A2 in 2010:

http://aycu38.webshots.com/image/13517/2000704924774856604_rs.jpg

http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/13556/2003089713358342448_rs.jpg

http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/14301/2002038860307109512_rs.jpg

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/geluidscherm%203%20Abcoude_tcm49-98506.jpg
© Rijkswaterstaat Utrecht

I cant wait to drive it!

[LtBk]

It is much cheaper for the government to invest in the roads. PT only costs billions each year, while driving, the government gets like 14 billion each year in taxes and stuff.

And it is proven that a better PT doesnt attract drivers, so you have a very expensive PT, and still jamming and polluting motorways.
Investing in motorways is so much better for air pollution than investing in PT.

The last years, there has been such a waste of money in PT.

1 billion in a automatic bus that doesn't work in Eindhoven
7 billion for an High speed rail, while upgrading of the existing tracks, or double the existing tracks was much cheaper.
5 billion for an already absolutely not cost-effective freight rail line, which isn't even in operation yet.
billions for free PT.

And did the traffic jams become shorter? No, they become longer every year, annually the traffic jams rise with 10%, while traffic growth is limited to just 2 or 3%.

Madrid has both excellent mass transit and motorway network yet it still has traffic jams(from what i read). Traffics jams aren't going away unless you ban many cars.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/14301/2002038860307109512_rs.jpg

It looks like the Canadian 401. I am not a fan of these super-wide motorways :ohno:

[CborG]

It's only for a kilometer or so, that 16 lane stretch. The rest wil have 2x5 or 2-3-3-2 lanes.

[Nephasto]

Which stretch of the A2 will be widened? Amsterdam-Utrecht?

[Elmo]

@Nephasto:

From Amsterdam to Utrecht it will be 2x5 lanes and from Utrecht to Den Bosch it will be 2x4 or 2x3. The road will also be widened near Eindhoven which is more to the south.

[ChrisZwolle]

Jup, and there a plans to build a tunnel underneath the southern city of Maastricht, where the traffic has to go through traffic lights.

Furthermore, there are plans to widen the stretch Den Bosch - Eindhoven, and Roermond - Geleen.
And they rebuild the ring of Den Bosch from 2x3 lanes to 4x2 lanes.

So the entire A2 will be quite some construction site for the next decade.

There is still this ridiculously narrow bridge near Beesd (between Utrecht and Den Bosch). This one would be widen from 2x2 without shoulders to 2x4 with shoulders.
http://www.peklabegeleiding.nl/diversefotos1/photos/Bruggetje%20bij%20beesd%20A2.jpg

[Regulus]

In this moment how many lanes have the A2?
Actualy are there in Germany highway with 5 lanes for many km?

Bye

Regulus

[ChrisZwolle]

The A2 differs from 2x3 lanes from Amsterdam to Utrecht, 4+3 near Nieuwegein, and 2x2 towards Eindhoven, but there are 2x3 stretches too. The beltway of Eindhoven has 2x3 lanes, and the southern part is 2x2.

You see, al these changes creates bottlenecks. Less lanes, but not lesser traffic.

[Regulus]

The A2 differs from 2x3 lanes from Amsterdam to Utrecht, 4+3 near Nieuwegein, and 2x2 towards Eindhoven, but there are 2x3 stretches too. The beltway of Eindhoven has 2x3 lanes, and the southern part is 2x2.

You see, al these changes creates bottlenecks. Less lanes, but not lesser traffic.

Thanks. Situation must be problematic with all these changes, I believe!
Where begin and finish the A2?

Regulus

[Koesj]

There's about as much state money reserved for state public transport (rail) as for state roads (a large majority of which are freeways). Freeways carry about seven times more people than our train network here in the Netherlands. Investing in road infrastructure has been cut back in favor of rail projects during the last couple of decades.

So you're going to tell me we have to increase our PT spending in contrast to fixing the damn road problem? That's not a change for the better. It's not a change at all really.

[ChrisZwolle]

Monday, i took pics of the A7 from Den Oever to Zaandam (near Amsterdam). It was really quiet traffic that day, because it was a holiday, normally the last 20km of the A7 is completely jammed.

Den Oever - Hoorn - Purmerend - Zaandam-Centrum

>>>79 pics, 41 MB<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/29155738/A7.zip.html)

http://i19.tinypic.com/5yi3qlk.png

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Damn it, Chris! When will you learn not to shoot pictures facing the sun? :D

[ChrisZwolle]

I know. But we didn't have this piece of the A7 yet for www.roadpics.net ;) And since we haven't seen clouds in like 45 days, there is no option but taking pics in the sun ;) :)

[ChrisZwolle]

I hope you guys are ready for a load of pics from the Dutch Provincial roads!

Let's start;

N9 Alkmaar - Den Helder

Alkmaar - Schoorldam - Burgervlotbrug - Sint Maartensvlotbrug - De Kooy

>>>84 foto's, 42,3 MB, Rapidshare link<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/29153240/N9.zip.html)

http://i17.tinypic.com/62hi4r4.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N99 Den Helder - Den Oever

Den Helder - Hippolytushoef - Den Oever

>>>37 foto's, 18,3 MB, Bigupload link<<< (http://www.bigupload.com/d=1C51F09A)

http://i17.tinypic.com/5zh8nr6.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N241 Schagen - Hoorn

Schagen - Opmeer - Wognum (A7)

>>>35 foto's, 18,4 MB, Content-Type link<<< (http://www.content-type.com/-207910492/N241.zip.htm)

http://i17.tinypic.com/67qz3px.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N242 Alkmaar - Middenmeer

Alkmaar - Heerhugowaard - Middenmeer (A7)


>>>52 foto's, 27,3 MB, Megashares link<<< (http://d01.megashares.com/?d01=2be7be5)

http://i12.tinypic.com/4opxm5s.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N245 Alkmaar - Schagen

>>>42 foto's, 22,7MB, rapidupload link<<< (http://www19.rapidupload.com/d.php?file=dl&filepath=22943)

http://i19.tinypic.com/6c3lv8k.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N243 Hoorn - Alkmaar

Avenhorn (A7) - Schermerhorn - Stompetoren - Alkmaar

>>>39 foto's, 20,3 MB, Sendspace link<<< (http://www.sendspace.com/file/yuz2an)

http://i12.tinypic.com/4uetbgz.png

[ChrisZwolle]

for more; see previous page

N250 Den Helder

De Kooy (N9/N99) - Den Helder

>>>9 foto's, 4,6 MB, Sendspace link<<< (http://www.sendspace.com/file/0ife5j)

http://i15.tinypic.com/4veg2ae.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N248 Wieringerwerf - Schagerbrug

Wieringerwerf (A7) - Middenmeer - Schagen - Schagerbrug (N9)

>>>40 foto's, 20,4 MB, Sendspace link<<< (http://www.sendspace.com/file/94rfpl)

http://i16.tinypic.com/4zwpvev.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N302 Hoorn - Lelystad

Hoorn-Noord (A7) - Stede Broec - Enkhuizen - Lelystad (A6)

>>>96 foto's, 46 MB, Turboupload link<<< (http://d.turboupload.com/d/1765318/N302.zip.html)

http://i13.tinypic.com/66l3pnb.png

[ChrisZwolle]

N307 Lelystad - Kampen

Swifterbant - Dronten - Kampen

>>>52 foto's, 25,6 MB Rapidshare link<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/20518592/N307.rar.html)

http://i18.tinypic.com/2wcpkt2.png

Lelystad - Swifterbant

>>>14 foto's, 7,5MB, Rapidshare link<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/29236658/N307_deel_2.zip.html)

http://i17.tinypic.com/5znsaqw.png

[ChrisZwolle]

I have some 3.500 pics left on my PC, but i'll save them for later. I don't wanna overload this topic ;)

[TheCat]

I love Dutch roads, they are the best I've seen anywhere in the world.
These are some nice videos:
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=CarnagerSDV&p=r&page=1

[Alex Von Königsberg]

FM 2258 would like Dutch roads because they all have numbers :baeh3: I like Dutch destination signs because they are extremely standardised :okay:

[ChrisZwolle]

FM 2258 would like Dutch roads because they all have numbers :baeh3:

Yeah, just one bad thing here; numbers ranging from 400 - 999 are very rarely signed.

So you see a temporary road construction sign; N746 closed. follow detour. But nobody except the numberfreaks knows where this road is, because it is not signed. :(

[Verso]

I have some 3.500 pics left on my PC

You're fuckin' crazy!! :laugh:

[ChrisZwolle]

Check this out! :nuts:

On holidays, truck traffic is not allowed in Germany. So hundreds of truckers drive towards the border and park their trucks for miles on the shoulder.
Here are some pics;

1.
http://i14.tinypic.com/4ly2t84.jpg

2.
http://i8.tinypic.com/5z3vzlt.jpg

3.
http://i4.tinypic.com/5yuemo0.jpg

4.
http://i14.tinypic.com/4y9by2d.jpg

5.
http://i15.tinypic.com/5xt6lbo.jpg

6.
http://i4.tinypic.com/4kbdb4p.jpg

7.
http://i2.tinypic.com/6aknhp3.jpg

8.
http://i2.tinypic.com/6aks5jc.jpg

9.
http://i1.tinypic.com/5z1l7yp.jpg

10.
http://i10.tinypic.com/627mopc.jpg

11.
http://i15.tinypic.com/4ozusr6.jpg

12.
http://i15.tinypic.com/4xy6879.jpg

[LtBk]

Do you have list of motorways that are being upgraded?

[ChrisZwolle]

Here's a video of this stretch, which my mate and i made. (he made the video, i did the pictures) of this truck-phenomenon near the German-Dutch border.

Notice the bad road surface however this is only like 15 years old. The German A30 has an even worse roadsurface.

VIDEO 61MB, Rapidshare (http://rapidshare.com/files/31887182/A1-A35_170507.zip.html)

oh yeah, the video includes some nice music, so the video is not boring to watch :)

[ChrisZwolle]

Do you have list of motorways that are being upgraded?

The list is not so impressive. Most work is finally done on the A2 which is about to be or is in progress of being widend for most of its length;

A2
Jct Holendrecht - Jct Oudenrijn 2x5 lanes (now 2x3)
Jct Oudenrijn - Jct Everdingen 2x4 lanes (now 3+4)
Jct Everdingen - Jct Deil 2x4 lanes (now 2x2)
Jct Empel - Jct Vught 4x2 lanes (now 2x3)
Jct Batadorp - Jct Leenderheide 2+3+3+2 lanes (now 2x3)

There is also a project on the A4 motorway just north of Leiden, where a second aquaduct is being constructed, since the first one is only 2x2 lanes withoud shoulders (should be 2x4 lanes)

And then there are a few construction sites;

A35 Almelo - Wierden (7km or so)
A37 Jct Holsloot - German border 16km (upgrade of the old N37)
A73 Venlo - A2 complete new motorway, some 35km.

However, these new motorways are all outside the heavy congested Randstad metropolis. No new construction or other widening is approved yet.

[Judazzz]

For those interested, here are 3 render-video's of what the future A2 will look like (turning off your speakers is strongly recommended, unless you like elevator tunes :D )

http://www.kampioen.nl/published/kmp/content/filmpjes/pagina/k05-filmpjes-a2.nl.html

[Verso]

So many trucks! Crazy! :nuts:

[eusebius]

The amount of traffic is completely beyond control. Our Chris likes to go driving just for the sake of it. Then complains about the roads being congested :laugh:

This is the on-line mapfinder www.routenet.nl - just check the ridiculous amount of motorways.

[Verso]

The amount of traffic is completely beyond control. Our Chris likes to go driving just for the sake of it. Then complains about the roads being congested :laugh::lol:

[ChrisZwolle]

I made a nice Video (http://rapidshare.com/files/32052062/A28_Nieuwleusen_-_Zwolle-Noord.zip.html) of the A28 motorway from Nieuwleusen to Zwolle. It's about 18MB large :)

[radi6404]

Here's a video of this stretch, which my mate and i made. (he made the video, i did the pictures) of this truck-phenomenon near the German-Dutch border.

Notice the bad road surface however this is only like 15 years old. The German A30 has an even worse roadsurface.

VIDEO 61MB, Rapidshare (http://rapidshare.com/files/31887182/A1-A35_170507.zip.html)

oh yeah, the video includes some nice music, so the video is not boring to watch :)

germany has many motorways in bad condition, pretty bad are A8 and A81 of those i travelled on but besides new ones Geran mtoroways are not in a very good condition, i don´t know why.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Chris, do you have some videos where you drive on city streets? Driving on motorway is pretty much the same around the world, but city or suburb driving is very different in terms of traffic signs, road marking, driving behaviour, etc.

[eusebius]

Hmm, it's pretty much the same everywhere; we don't have signs telling young Chris to get on his bike.

He should. He's only in his twenties, still lives with mum and dad, and cycling to work only takes a few minutes. Chris is such a lazy ass! He lives in the small town of Zwolle and can't even cross like a 20 kilometres distance. Poor Chris. There's many like him though.

Really sad world, isn't it?

[Verso]

^ I thought he was 19, and lived alone. :)

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Four years ago I was pretty much like him - in my early twenties, living with parents and driving for NO reason for hundreds of kilometres :lol: One day I drove for almost 1000 km just to see the Oregon - Nevada border :ohno: And then.... I met a girl! :)

[TheCat]

Chris, do you have some videos where you drive on city streets? Driving on motorway is pretty much the same around the world, but city or suburb driving is very different in terms of traffic signs, road marking, driving behaviour, etc.
I have posted this link a while ago (in this thread):
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=CarnagerSDV&p=r&page=1

It has some pretty nice driving videos from the Netherlands (and some from Belgium), including pretty interesting city/town driving scenes. Most videos also have fun music in them.

@Chris1491: Why don't you post your videos on Youtube like that dude in the link? It will be easier to watch :)

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah i can do that but youtube and google video have such a bad quality...

Don't pay attention to that Eusebius guy, he's just mentally ill and doesn't know me at all obviously.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

I think those fileshare sites that you are using are perfectly fine, and they save quality.

[ChrisZwolle]

Youtube is damn slow. It will only upload with like 12 kb/sec. I can do 20 times that speed :(

[firmanhadi]

Whoa amazing sight. What's that lone truck doing in photo #11, isn't he supposed to be waiting in line like the rest of them?

[ChrisZwolle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Yx934IHO8 here's the video on youtube. But a worse quality than the rapidshare link.

[ChrisZwolle]

Whoa amazing sight. What's that lone truck doing in photo #11, isn't he supposed to be waiting in line like the rest of them?

Some trucks are allowed to pass through Germany, like flowers, fresh food etc.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Yx934IHO8 here's the video on youtube. But a worse quality than the rapidshare link.
Do you have some non-motorway videos? I would gladly take a ride through Zwolle :cheers:

[ChrisZwolle]

Do you have some non-motorway videos? I would gladly take a ride through Zwolle :cheers:

I have in mind to make a ride through Zwolle this afternoon :)

[Shukie]

Four years ago I was pretty much like him - in my early twenties, living with parents and driving for NO reason for hundreds of kilometres :lol: One day I drove for almost 1000 km just to see the Oregon - Nevada border :ohno: And then.... I met a girl! :)

You'd go bankrupt trying that in The Netherlands with these insane gas prices. But then again it wouldn't matter, you'd be crossing the border in less than half that distance from any starting point in the country anyway, so you could just get cheaper gass there ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

I made a video of the ringroad of Zwolle this afternoon.

It was very quiet on the road, so the total 16km doesn't last longer than 20 minuten on the video. Normally during rushhours, completing the ringroad would take over an hour.
Zwolle is a city of 115.000 and the capital of the Overijssel province. Because of the lack of a real ringroad or a motorway bypass. All traffic to and from northeastern Netherlands has to cross through Zwolle, making it the second busiest city outside the Randstad metropolis.
The current ringroad or beltway consist out of 4 major arterials; IJsselallee, Zwartewaterallee, Oldeneelallee and Ceintuurbaan.
The asphalt is detoriating quickly, since the municipal government likes to spend the road budget otherwise.

http://i13.tinypic.com/4uertjl.png

>>>20 minutes, 80MB, Rapidshare<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/32193492/Ring_Zwolle_video.zip.html)

[Shukie]

I don't think many people are going to bother watching a 20 minute video of low quality. Make them shorter and of higher quality to compensate :)

[ChrisZwolle]

I don't think many people are going to bother watching a 20 minute video of low quality. Make them shorter and of higher quality to compensate :)

Dude have you any idea how big it would be? Like 500MB, can't do that :nuts:

[ChrisZwolle]

Oh yeah the camera is zoomed 4 times, so when it looks like i'm parking my car in the trunk of the next car, that is just optical illusion ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

Another video, of the A28 starting just south of Zwolle leading to just north of Zwolle. It was very quiet on the motorway, but it was saturdayevening ;)
Inside the city, the most left lane is a real lane! But it is so tiny.

http://i19.tinypic.com/6471hqs.png

>>>8 minutes 33 MB Bigupload<<< (http://www.bigupload.com/d=A79A3710)[/quote]

[ChrisZwolle]

Youtube version;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgivCHN3F6I

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Chris, the first video was pretty cool, but why do you need to zoom your camera 4 times? Wider angle would provide a better picture of what was going on around you. And the camera was turned to the left for some reason.

And still, it would be nice to see the zentrum, not outskirts of Zwolle ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

Well, it has to be zoomed, since my wipers are positioned quite high. So i made the video with the ringroad of Zwolle on the left side of my car and zoomed.

The second video of the A28 motorway is not zoomed, and the camera is positioned in the center of the car, but you can see the wiper blades a little.

[Verso]

>>>20 minutes, 80MB, Rapidshare<<< (http://rapidshare.com/files/32193492/Ring_Zwolle_video.zip.html)>>>8 minutes 33 MB Bigupload<<< (http://www.bigupload.com/d=A79A3710)Nice video clips, I love them! :banana: I like the ring despite not being a motorway. Btw, that lane, where you go off the motorway, is VERY long! :)

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah, the offlane is 1600m long or so. But the offlanes between exit Zwolle-Zuid and Jct Hattemerbroek are even longer, like 3500m.

[Verso]

^ B/c of so much traffic?

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah, there are over 120.000 vehicles every day on that bridge. It is jammed often. It is the second busiest road outside the Randstad region.

[ChrisZwolle]

Another video. This time of the N50 between Kampen and Zwolle, 2 major cities in the province of Overijssel.

The N50 is a reconstructed road, and is the first road in the Netherlands to have a 2+1 configuration. You see this in Germany often, but this is the first here.

The maximum speed is 100km/h, but most traffic is doing 120km/h.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApGhTsIxrQc

[Verso]

^ Now if I say the video is nice, you'll never get on bike. :D

[ChrisZwolle]

I don't use a bike for such distances ;) Only inside the city.

And i took some pics of the very rural and straight-out N305. I goes from boomtown Almere to the rural small city of Dronten, right through the artificial Flevoland province. The speed limit is mostly 100km/h, except for the first part between A6 and A27.

>>>61 photos, 30,2 MB, Megaupload link<<< (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8J0CNYD3)

http://i11.tinypic.com/5xzxetl.png

[Nephasto]

Another video. This time of the N50 between Kampen and Zwolle, 2 major cities in the province of Overijssel.

The N50 is a reconstructed road, and is the first road in the Netherlands to have a 2+1 configuration. You see this in Germany often, but this is the first here.

The maximum speed is 100km/h, but most traffic is doing 120km/h.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApGhTsIxrQc


There's some heavy traffic on that route!
By looking at a map, and taking into account the hgeavy traffic I would say that route would justify a motorway, not just a road with some stretches with 3 lanes...

[ChrisZwolle]

In the seventies, the original goal was to build a motorway. But there isn´t one to date.

Further north, there is a 1x1 stretch, which has a median, and even shoulders! but just one lane per direction.

The A6 north of Emmeloord used to be named A50, the same number as south of Zwolle.

But to Dutch standards, that N50 is very quiet.

The 2+1 road wasn't build for more capacity, but to create safe passing possibilities.

[ChrisZwolle]

I made again a video, this time of the so called "truck alley", the A1 motorway, a busy motorway between Apeldoorn and the German border.

This video does only cover the 6-laned part from Apeldoorn to Deventer. There weren't so many trucks today, because a long weekend is ahead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL9QHWbFOlY

[ChrisZwolle]

How do you guys like the music which plays during the video? It's hard to find appropriate music everyone likes, and also matches the video. My opinion is that trance/dance/hiphop/rap music isn't appropriate for this kind of videos.

[Alex Von Königsberg]

The music this time was good, especially the first track. To be frank, the music you chose in your previous videos sucked ;) That is my opinion, of course, because I am typically biased against pop music.

[Joshapd]

I think you will never find music that everyone likes, if i were you i would just put my favourites in the videos! ;)

[Alex Von Königsberg]

I actually prefer when music is mixed with real sounds from the surrounding. It gives you a feeling of presence.

[ChrisZwolle]

I made another video, with the first song being very appropratie (Dire Straits - On every street)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt7vbq75aJk

[Verso]

>>>61 photos, 30,2 MB, Megaupload link<<< (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8J0CNYD3)I just have a need to say sth: downloading this toolbar was the last thing I did before my PC crashed 11 days ago. :D :)

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah, i use google Picasa now, so the downloading is history ;)

[ChrisZwolle]

A1 - Deventer - Olst - Wijhe - Zwolle

This scenic route travels over the dikes of the IJssel river, one of the larger rivers in The Netherlands. Quite busy in the city of Deventer (97.000), and low traffic on the dike itself.

>>>80 photo's Picasa webalbum<<< (http://picasaweb.google.nl/ASWchris/N337/)

http://i15.tinypic.com/4u2vlo3.png[/b]

[ChrisZwolle]

Zutphen - Eefde - Gorssel - Deventer - Wesepe - Raalte - Lemelerveld - Ommen

This road is one of the main transport axes in the Overijssel and Gelderland provinces, however it doesn't looks like that. Decades ago, this route was supposed to be the A48 motorway, but it was never build. Zutphen is despite it's small size, a busy city. The section Raalte - Ommen has a speed limit of 100km/h, but they want to downgrade it to 80km/h :(

>>>96 photos google Picasa webalbum<<< (http://picasaweb.google.nl/cstegehuis/N348ZutphenOmmen)

http://i17.tinypic.com/6419sfs.png

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Dude, your first link (Deventer - Zwolle) is broken.

[ChrisZwolle]

fixed

[ChrisZwolle]

Lol we now have 22km of traffic jam on the A2, because of some concert :lol:

total over 360km traffic jam, quite normal on any given friday.

A2 's-Hertogenbosch - Amsterdam
Nieuwegein to Vinkeveen
22 km stop and go because of a concert

[renco]

Lol we now have 22km of traffic jam on the A2, because of some concert :lol:

total over 360km traffic jam, quite normal on any given friday.

Is it being played on freeway :D

[CborG]

Some updates of the A2 widening, from north to south:

Near Utrecht:

By Frits, May 23rd,

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6163/01lt3.th.jpg (http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=01lt3.jpg)
http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/875/02bp4.th.jpg (http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=02bp4.jpg)
http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/2368/03bq4.th.jpg (http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=03bq4.jpg)
http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/1024/04dk3.th.jpg (http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=04dk3.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8960/05fv7.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=05fv7.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6687/06fi8.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=06fi8.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2503/07qv5.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=07qv5.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/585/08ma3.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=08ma3.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3708/09rc3.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=09rc3.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3116/10yy6.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10yy6.jpg)
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/995/11af6.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=11af6.jpg)
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/6168/12xd9.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=12xd9.jpg)
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4442/13jf5.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=13jf5.jpg)
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4168/14fm8.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=14fm8.jpg)
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/2411/15hp0.th.jpg (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=15hp0.jpg)

Beltway 's Hertogenbosch:

By Frits (Dutch highwayforum)

Foto's van 19-05-2007:

Building new viaduct near Empel junction:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/5007/238lm4.jpg
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1370/239yu4.jpg

Sand for the foundation near Rosmalen:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/6838/240wb0.jpg

Near Hintham junction:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4425/005ar7.jpg

Groundworks further south:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6816/006qk9.jpg
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7055/007rq5.jpg

A2, Beltway Eindhoven:

The A2 will be widened from a narrow 2x3 to 2+3+3+2

photo's by PW100 (durch highwayforum) a bit outdated ones, april 30th 2007

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/ASW/A2Eindhoven/IMG_8204-700.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/ASW/A2Eindhoven/IMG_8206-700.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/ASW/A2Eindhoven/IMG_8192-700.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/ASW/A2Eindhoven/IMG_8210-700.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/ASW/A2Eindhoven/IMG_8195-700.jpg

[CborG]

A35 UC near Almelo, by Taurus, june 9th:

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9738.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9740.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9741.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9927.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9929.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9930.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9931.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u81/Taurus1978/Aanleg%20A35/IMG_9935.jpg

[CborG]

A73 U/C between Venlo and Roermond in the southern province of Limburg

By Bas1984, June 2nd:

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/5317/1002349zd6.jpg

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6382/1002352cg8.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7174/1002348hh8.jpg

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/5459/1002350is5.jpg

[CborG]

A new project in Amsterdam that will start in the near future, the A5 Westrandweg (western beltway) this new motorway will allow traffic to avoid the very busy A10 and A4.
It includes a 6 to 15 meter high and 2-3km long viaduct, the longest in NL. Also the Coentunnel under the Northsea canal will be doubled.

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/2776/westrandwegkx1.png

http://www.milieudefensie.nl/verkeer/plaatjes/tweedecoen.gif

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7465/impressie20wrw20300tcm4bk7.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5112/impressie20wrw20220300tsg7.jpg

New Coentunnel, on the left the old one:

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/uitbreiding%20coentunnel%20graphic_tcm49-75267.jpg

[radi6404]

The crashbarriers of the new stretch are great, almost as shiny as the new Struma motorway crashbarriers which are extremly shiny.

[CborG]

Works on the A4 near Bergen op Zoom, the construcion of the most discussed and controversial motorway in the Netherlands gets completed piece by piece:crazy:

overview:

http://www.rijkswega4.nl/dboz/img/foto/overzichtskaarthalsteren.jpg

photo's by Frits:

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4166/afbeelding088om4.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding088om4.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1599/afbeelding090si1.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding090si1.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4300/afbeelding091ch0.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding091ch0.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7408/afbeelding092oy5.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding092oy5.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/9350/afbeelding093tk9.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding093tk9.jpg)
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6841/afbeelding094zd7.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding094zd7.jpg)
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4740/afbeelding095kd7.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=afbeelding095kd7.jpg)

[Paddington]

The Netherlands looks a lot like flat, Northwest Ohio, except with bicyclists.

[CborG]

Plans to diverse the A9 around Badhoevedorp (Amsterdam) Today it runs straight through the suburb on a very narrow 2x2 viaduct with little to no room for expansion.

http://www.regionalesamenwerking.amsterdam.nl/live/imgnew.db?22689

old situation:

http://www.pouwreklame.nl/route/kaart2.gif

The plan is to go around the build-up area on the southside, there are 2 possiblities:

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/A9_kaart01_tcm49-83817.jpg

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/A9_kaart02_tcm49-83818.jpg

This new stretch will have at least 2x3 lanes and includes a total metamorphose of the Badhoevedorpjunction, the oldest cloverleafjunction in NL.

[CborG]

Plans to connect the German A61 with the dutch Motorwaynetwork are very old, there are several variants but the southern one is the most likely. It will be named A74 and will some 3km long.

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/8449/018roermondviascooplk8.jpg

Due to strict air quality regulations in NL the max speed can only be 80km/h:ohno:

Map with the 2 variants, the A73 shown is now U/C:

http://www.geentweesnelwegen.nl/images/kaartklein2.jpg

[Verso]

^^ May I just ask why the eastern section is called "Klagenfurt-variant", after the capital of the Austrian Carinthia? Or it's some other Klagenfurt?

[CborG]

Yes and no, It's named that way because the current road there is called Klagenfurtlaan, so it's easy for local people to know what variant the planners mean. The variant is named after the road and the current road is named after Klagenfurt. So indirectly you're right:)

[Verso]

^ I see, thanks. I was just wondering how many Dutch know where Klagenfurt is. :)

[CborG]

Fresh A73 updates by PW100, june 18th:

Future junction A2 – A73
In southern direction:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9269-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9274-600.jpg
Same, now nothern direction
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9278-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9280-600.jpg

N293. Almost completed
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9283-600.jpg

Viaduct N271 - N280
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9285-600.jpg

A73, looking southward from viaduct N271
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9286-600.jpg

Tunnelbak Swalmen
In nothern direction:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9288-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9290-600.jpg
southern direction
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9292-600.jpg

Open cut(?) tunnel at Swalmen
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9293-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9294-600.jpg

A73, a view to the north
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9300-600.jpg

same, but zoomed in
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9302-600.jpg

Hectometerpaaltje!
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9303-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9305-600.jpg

Typical A73 viaducts
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9307-600.jpg

South of venlo
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9308-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9310-600.jpg

Open cut near Tegelen
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9311-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9312-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9313-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9315-600.jpg

Future junction A73 - A74
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9317-600.jpg

Bridge over the river Maas
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9320-600.jpg

on the other side of the Maas.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9321-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9322-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9323a-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9324-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9325-600.jpg

Viaduct Mulkenshofweg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9326-600.jpg

bicyclebridge Heershofpad
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9328-600.jpg

Viaduct railway Eindhoven-Venlo, and junction A73-A67 Zaarderheike
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9329-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A73/IMG_9330-600.jpg

[mgk920]

A73 U/C between Venlo and Roermond in the southern province of Limburg
[snip]

Interesting project. By the way, there is something on the Google aerial images of the area, right by the A-2/A-73 junction, that is heavily fuzzed, it looks like little more than a farm field.

Just curious.

:nuts:

Mike

[CborG]

@mgk920: Those blurry parts can be seen troughout the country, mostly they are covering millitary installations or gouvernment buildings, and some can't be explained. Like this one, I have no idea what's underneath it..

-----

More updates by PW100, June 19th:
A2, Beltway Eindhoven, a map with the future situation can be found here (http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/apps/geoservices/randwegeindhoven/)


Route:
* A58 from Tilburg
* A2 Batadorp - De Hogt
* A67 towards Venlo

Batadorp junction, north of Eindhoven:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9252-600.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9253-600.jpg

First Asphalt of the Parallel roads can be seen
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9254-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9255-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9258-600.jpg

Near Veldhoven, with some new lightpoles:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9259-600.jpg

De Hogt junction A2-A67, on the Southwestern side of Eindhoven:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9260-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9262-600.jpg

Dynamic route panel:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9263-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9264-600.jpg

Same route but now from the south towards the north

A67, south of Eindhoven:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9336-600.jpg

De Hogt again:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9337-600.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9339-600.jpg

Near Eindhoven Airport:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9340-600.jpg

Works for a new viaduct
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9341-600.jpg

Near Batadorp junction
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/PW100/A2%20Eindhoven/17%20Juni%202007/IMG_9342-600.jpg

[Koesj]

@mgk920

I'm guessing NATO pipeline network, just a hunch though.

[CborG]

I made a map with the future A2 with number of lanes, if im correct:

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5443/a2zv2.jpg

This is how the A2 near my hometown, Culemborg, will look like when the widening is completed:

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/9766/a2beesdhn2.png

[CborG]

Future situation near Abcoude, Amsterdam:

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/Abcoude%20straks%20aansluiting_tcm49-98509.jpg

New soundbarrier:

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/geluidscherm%203%20Abcoude_tcm49-98506.jpg

[Jean Luc]

Future situation near Abcoude, Amsterdam:

http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/Images/Abcoude%20straks%20aansluiting_tcm49-98509.jpg
Wow, impressive! Why the wide median, for future widening or a rail line, perhaps?

[CborG]

It's certainly not for a railway. There are plans to add a 6th lane after 2015-2020 but that's not sure. I think it's kind of a widening 'de luxe' But i'm not sure of that.

[edit] I just asked the same quastion on the dutch highway forum, and they say it's better, construction wise, to have 2 smaller roadbeds instead of one broad one.

[Nephasto]

I made a map with the future A2 with number of lanes, if im correct:

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5443/a2zv2.jpg



How will it be around Hertogen Bosh? It's not very clear in the picture.

Is it 2+3+3+2, like in Ultrecht, 2+2+2+2 or is it just 2+2(very unlikely, as that would be a major bottleneck)?

[CborG]

^^It will be 2+2+2+2

[Nephasto]

^^Ok!

The A-2 will turn into one of the motorways with the most capacity in Europe! :okay:


When are all the works planned to be finished? (Have they already started them all?)

[CborG]

Here's a short overview of the works on the A2:

* Holendrecht-Maarssen 2*5 rijstroken (tot 2012)
* Maarssen-Oudenrijn 2-3-3-2 rijstroken (2005-2010)animation (http://www.watgebeurthier.nl/Rijksweg2.htm)
* Lekbruggen 2*4 rijstroken (oplevering 2004)
* Oudenrijn -knooppunt Everdingen 2*4 rijstroken(2007-2011)
* knooppunt Everdingen-aansluiting Everdingen 2*4 rijstroken (2006-2008)
* Culemborg-Deil 2*4 rijstroken (2007-2010)
* Aanpassing Diefdijk (2004)
* Zaltbommel- Maasbrug 2*3 rijstroken, met mogelijkheid voor 2*4 rijstroken (2008-2010)
* Rondweg 's-Hertogenbosch (Maasbrug - knooppunt Vught) 4*2 rijstroken (2006-2009) animations (http://www.infra2.nl/173.html)
* Den Bosch (knooppunt Vught) - Eindhoven (knooppunt Ekkerwijer) spitsstroken (planning wordt opnieuw bezien) + planstudie
* Randweg Eindhoven (knooppunt Ekkerwijer - knooppunt Leenderheide); verbreding 4*2 rijstroken (2006 -2011) interactive map (http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/apps/geoservices/randwegeindhoven/)
* Spitsstroken Knooppunt Leenderheide - Budel

Extra info:

Vianen-'s Hertogenbosch

http://www.mohahn.nl/a2/img/schema.gif

Some facts on this stretch:

Total costs: € 400 miljoen
nature compensation: 14,9 ha
Forest compensation: 11,1 ha
Total length: 24 km
Area bought: 71 ha
Number of viaducts: 16, including 1 ecoduct
Number of smaller crossings: 40, including 15 ecodivers (small tunnels for amimals under the highway)
Total length of soundbarriers: 9.100 m

Groundworks:
sand/ground to be removed: 2.630.000 m3
sand/ground te be added: 1.990.000 m3
Asphalt to be removed: 485.000 ton
Asphalt to be added: 780.000 ton

[ChrisZwolle]

^^Ok!

The A-2 will turn into one of the motorways with the most capacity in Europe! :okay:

Is have to, it is very busy, and with traffic jams about the whole day. Amount of traffic there is about to 180.000 vehicles/day. Because of the importance, it is sometimes called "The Aorta of The Netherlands".

[Verso]

^ Chris, we say the Netherlands. :P We only say The Bahamas and The Gambia. :)

Anyway, the A2 is really impressive! :okay:

[ChrisZwolle]

Oh that reminds me, i made a video of the A2, crossing Maastricht-Aachen airport, the 5% descent to Maastricht and the old N2 through Maastricht.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPe-sGXPLGY

[CborG]

Update by the Runner, the construction of the landtunnel in Utrecht is in full progress:

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/217/1001146editedmediumxf4.jpg

[Build]

Damn,. This is very impresive - Maarssen-Oudenrijn 2-3-3-2 rijstroken (2005-2010)animation
http://www.watgebeurthier.nl/Rijksweg2.htm

^^ Thanks for this animation:nuts: I have never seen it.

And than they build a hole city on the landtunnel.:master:

[Alex Von Königsberg]

Why in the animation they drive in the middle lane all the time when the right lane is completely empty? :lol:

http://mikul.net/images/motorways/animation.JPG

[CborG]

Yeah, and then they expect everybody to stay right.:crazy: In the top 10 'irritations in traffic' in NL, the new nr 1 is driving on the left unnecessary, while it always used to be tailgating.

[ChrisZwolle]

Yes, minister of Transportation says the A2 Den Bosch - Eindhoven will be widened to 2x3 lanes! That's good news, you don't wanna come from 2x4 lanes in Den Bosch and Eindhoven tot 2x2 lanes in between. That's problematic.

In other words; the entire route from Amsterdam to Eindhoven will be widened over a length of 120km.

[CborG]

updated map, the thin line on the left is the current situation:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3066/a2ga3.jpg

[Nephasto]

^^Is the stretch from Eindhoven to the border already 2x3?

And what are they going to do about the Maastricht stretch which goes through the city in an avenue?! It's incredible how there isn't a motorway bypass!

[ChrisZwolle]

The A2 between Eindhoven and the Belgian border is 2x2 lanes, and often overcrowded, but it doesn't result in huge traffic jams yet, but that's not far away.

The N2 in Maastricht usually gridlocks the entire city, i've experienced this a couple of times 2 weeks ago.
A new tunnels is in planning to go under the city. Hope it will be finished soon.

[Alargule]

The N2 in Maastricht usually gridlocks the entire city, i've experienced this a couple of times 2 weeks ago.

That's overstating the problem. Usually, traffic jams form when holiday traffic due south is at it's busiest. Most of the time though, this is just a very busy but nonetheless flowing stream of traffic. Saying that is 'gridlocks the entire city', though, doesn't even come close to the real situation - even if holiday traffic is at it's worst...
Not that I want to downplay the importance of a tunnel, though - it would especially improve living conditions and make room for new city developments.

A new tunnels is in planning to go under the city. Hope it will be finished soon.

Not in this era, I'm afraid.

[ChrisZwolle]

^^^

The N2 itself is okay driving. Only the first traffic lights can give traffic jams. But the roads leading to the N2 are completely jammed during rushhour, i was on the N278 immediatly after the Belgium border i came into a traffic jam for the N2.

[Alargule]

That section can become quite packed, indeed (been there on many occasions). But that's still not 'the entire city'...;)

[ChrisZwolle]

Well, even the Meuseboulevard was jammed. And also the N5xx something from Berg and Terblijt, and the sneakroute adjacent to the N2 was jammed. That's quite in all parts of the city.

[Alargule]

Quite unusual, then.

[ChrisZwolle]

Maybe, but i saw it several times.

[ChrisZwolle]

Some more news.

The Dutch A74 motorway will be build by 2009, Dutch minister of Transportation told the media. Construction will last to 2011, opening is foreseen as of 2011.
Germans have waited 3 decades for this connection, and citizens of Venlo (90.000 inhabitants) will be relieved of heavy traffic through the city too.

Stupid air quality means max. speed will be 80km/h :bash:

So stupid! In The Netherlands, you may drive 80, immediatly across the border, air quality is that better so you can drive 300km/h? Really nonsense, but it's a good thing this road will FINALLY been built.

http://i10.tinypic.com/61j5w90.gif
A73: Under construction as we speak.
A74: Approved
A61: German Autobahn to Mönchengladbach and further south, important transport axe.

[Rebasepoiss]

^ How big is the possibility that you get caught when speeding on a motorway in the Netherlands?

[ChrisZwolle]

^^ There are a few fixed speed traps installed. But we have automatic controls on 80km/h stretches in the Randstad area! You WILL get a ticket if you drive to fast there. Futhermore, there are a lot of fixed speed camera's on the National and Provincial roads, and speed limits are sometimes ridiculously low, compared to like Belgium and Germany.
Sometimes some police guys are laying in the plants sneaky setting up a speed trap behind trees, signs, dumpsters etc.
Sometimes it looks more like a police state if you ask me.

There are like 7 speed camera's on a 4km part of the ringroad of my hometown, that's ridiculous.

[Nephasto]

Good news! :okay:

Any plans to connect the German A51 with the Dutch A2 about 20 kms south of Venlo?

And, as we're on it (German-Dutch connections), aren't there planned conections between the Dutch A35 and German A-31 near Enschede and between Dutch A37 and German A31 ner Emmen?

[ChrisZwolle]

Good news! :okay:

Any plans to connect the German A51 with the Dutch A2 about 20 kms south of Venlo?

And, as we're on it (German-Dutch connections), aren't there planned conections between the Dutch A35 and German A-31 near Enschede and between Dutch A37 and German A31 ner Emmen?

A52 - A2: No connection. There used to be an A280, but now they are building a nice expressway, but no motorway-like roads.

A31 - A35: There is a 2+1 config stretch here. Fair enough for this quiet connection. Interchange Gronau (B54-A31) is a cloverleaf.

A31 - A37: The A37 is being extended to the German border as we speak. However, the Germans only build something like a Gelbe Autobahn Bundesstraße from the A31 to the Dutch border.

[Qaabus]

The chance of getting a ticket is not that big. Around some cities there are some stretches with speedcameras or average speed cameras. These are stationary and often signed, so everybody knows where they are. And there are mobile radar controls, but their positions are announced on the radio right after the traffic jams. So if you keep your eyes and ears open the chance of getting a ticket is pretty slim.

I've never had one, and I tend to drive well above the speedlimit.

[ChrisZwolle]

I've never had one, and I tend to drive well above the speedlimit.

Me too, because i know the locations where they are checking your speed.

But i drive a lot in the provinces lately, and it is embarassing what kind of roads they call main roads. Belgium and Germany do that much better. Always a 50 limit near some houses, in Belgium that's more often 70 or even 90. In Germany you are allowed to drive 100km/h outside city limits, that's what i call driving. You fall asleep on Dutch N-roads when driving like 70km/h behind some slow elderly people.

[LtBk]

I bet the Dutch government is desperate for money.

[eusebius]

Me too, because i know the locations where they are checking your speed.

But i drive a lot in the provinces lately, and it is embarassing what kind of roads they call main roads. Belgium and Germany do that much better. Always a 50 limit near some houses, in Belgium that's more often 70 or even 90. In Germany you are allowed to drive 100km/h outside city limits, that's what i call driving. You fall asleep on Dutch N-roads when driving like 70km/h behind some slow elderly people.:D
Serves you right. Your level of tolerance is alarmingly low. There's a very simple reason for this limit: it saves lives, you short-minded silly kid.

[ChrisZwolle]

:D
Serves you right. Your level of tolerance is alarmingly low. There's a very simple reason for this limit: it saves lives, you short-minded silly kid.

That is nonsense. On German roads there are an equal number of fatalities/accidents, but they have generally a 20 - 40km/h higher speed limit, or even no speed limit.

[Nephasto]

Well, if a road goes through a city or village it's speed has to be reduced generally to 50km/h.
Having a road with a speed limit of 90km/h through a village wouldn't be reasonable.

This is just an example of a very simple case... I guess this is not the case that makes chris being uppset.

[ChrisZwolle]

No i don't like it when a speed of 50 or 60 is installed when there are like 10 - 20 farms/houses near the road (not necessary on the road).

[CborG]

Update of the A2 Landtunnel:

Gaat lekker snel(maar ze moeten ook nog wel een stukkie)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4518/1001173mediumhp4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/108/1001174mediumub9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[LtBk]

:D
Serves you right. Your level of tolerance is alarmingly low. There's a very simple reason for this limit: it saves lives, you short-minded silly kid.

We had low speed limits for a long time and that hasn't stop people from killing themselves.

[ChrisZwolle]

Today report from the traffic information center www.vid.nl, says the amount of traffic jams has risen with 17,3% this first half year compared to the first half of 2006.

History;

2003 4,5%
2004 9,6%
2005 2,9%
2006 10,5%
2007 17,3%

things are going out of hand...

[LtBk]

Unfortunately, traffic jams is an international crisis and no amount of highway upgrades is going to get rid of them.

[CborG]

^^That's true but here in NL most highways were constructed in the 60's and 70's when traffic wasn't as busy as today. The amount of traffic has doubled itself so many times and nothing was done about the roads. Traffic jams around the big cities will allways excist but some are unnessacary long and can be alot shorter if some extra lanes would be added.

[ChrisZwolle]

Yeah, most motorways we have, have the capacitiy of the 1980's. However the biggest growth in traffic was after that period. There is a big difference in doing nothing, or try to control it. Because things are going out of control. This morning, roadmarkings came loose from the A9 near Amsterdam. 90km of traffic jam was related to that single incident, and the entire region of Amsterdam was gridlocked.

[ChrisZwolle]

It's really raining severe truck accidents! For the last week, we've got every day heavy truck accidents with total motorway closure! Now there are 5 trucks crashed into eachother on the A15 near Rotterdam. This morning a heavy crash was on the A28 near Zwolle, with trucks involved. Yesterday 2 trucks have crashed on the A4 near Leiden, the day before, a truck has hit a women getting out of her car on the A58. Monday, a truck has flipped over on the A2 near Eindhoven, entire region gridlocked. And not to mention the accidents with hazardous materials.

[xlchrisij]

^^ I've heard that. And there also was about 36km jams near Amsterdam today because there was only one lane on the A9.

[ChrisZwolle]

4 more trucks have crashed.

3 trucks and a car crashed into eachother on the A16 near Dordrecht, a truck has crashed on the A27 near Gorinchem, and trucks have accidents on the A16 near Dordrecht and on the A28 near Zwolle.

This is sure a bad day for the insurance companies...

[Patrick]

how does it come that your amount of traffic jams has grown so freaking fast in the few last years?