Freeways in the Netherlands

[Truvelo]

Yes, the trees look nice and pretty but a shoulder is more useful in an accident.

As for downgrading roads, take a look at this and then look on street view. You'll see 4-lane becomes 2-lane

[Chris]

Here's a video I shot of the widened A2 between Utrecht and Amsterdam. It's so incredibly wide, 5 lanes each way, a huge left shoulder and an un-European wide median.

I call these projects "the new reality". No more stupid "solutions" like shoulder running or other measures to saturate the road network as much as possible. Dang, just a widening from 6 to 10 lanes.

[Truvelo]

What a nice video with perfect weather and you're heading away from the sun which always helps in getting nice contrast.

From 3:25 onwards is my favourite. It contains proper Dutch infrastructure such as catenary lighting. A problem with modern roads is they lack character.

[english si]

hopefully, given we're in a phase of shoulder running as a solution for everything (OK, parts of the network are being widened from 6 to 8 lanes, but needed 10, perhaps with a 2+3+3+2 set up 20 ages ago - however many of those schemes have been kicked into long grass - might get shoulder running if lucky, and the unfunded shoulder running schemes are due to be scrapped. I know that the deficit is a big problem, but we won't get a decent economy if we continue with a bad transport network - including many needed rail projects: lots aren't, but many are worthwhile, especially since you can't drive easily in London), we in the UK will start doing the decent thing and dealing with the problems properly - in the UK that wouldn't just mean proper widening, but alternative routes, upgrading major divided A roads to motorway, and some new build.

[Chris]

1 inch of snow fell yesterday during the evening rush hour, resulting in a full gridlock in most of the central parts of the Netherlands. According to the traditional traffic information, this was the second busiest rush hour of all times with a peak total congestion of 884 kilometers (553 miles) of queue at one time. The more detailed TomTom HD Traffic even recorded over 5,200 kilometers (3,200 miles) of queue in the Netherlands. There were individual traffic jams up to 50 miles long, in both directions on many freeways.

[agentsteel53]

wow, in the case of snow, everyone panics and stops?

at least, in California, people have the decency to run off the road into the ravine, thereby eliminating themselves as a source of blockage.

[J N Winkler]

Light snowfall has similar consequences in the UK and has less to do with lack of skill in driving in snowstorms and more to do with high traffic volumes (which prevent gritters and snowplows from getting through) and a lack of network redundancy.  The Dutch motorway network has a somewhat higher degree of redundancy but I'd imagine the high traffic volumes on certain lengths cause problems.

[Chris]

Well, this event separated the men from the boys, road-wise. The recently widened 10-lane / 8-lane A2 was mostly clear while the 4-lane A27 runs in the same area and was congested for 50 kilometers in both directions.

[Truvelo]

What about Waterlinieweg that runs between the A2 and A27. Is it a viable alternative to the A27 for through traffic?

[Chris]

I wrote this post for Skyscrapercity, but it may be of interest here as well.

Schiphol - Amsterdam - Almere (SAA)

The SAA project is the largest motorway project undertaken in the Netherlands in at least the last few decades. A few years ago, it became clear there was no political will for a new A6-A9 connection, thus plans changed and they opted for a massive widening of existing motorways. In 2010 the design-record of decision has been taken, and a record of decision is expected in 2011 with road works commencing in 2012 and completion in 2018.

This is the scope of the project:


The most vital link is the A1 between interchanges Diemen and Muiderberg. It currently carries 190,000 vehicles per day. It has 2x3 lanes plus a reversible lane, which will be dualled until early 2011, hence 8 lanes. To cope with the astounding growth of the city of Almere (from 180,000 tot 350,000 inhabitants), a large-scale expansion of the motorway network to the job locations (southern Amsterdam, Schiphol area) is necessary.

The predicted 2022 traffic volume on the A1 motorway is 311,000 vehicles per day. In other words, around 370,000 people will use it on a daily basis. This is as much as 40% of the entire Dutch public transport. Only the growth of traffic on this corridor equals 15% of the entire Dutch public transport. It will become the busiest motorway in the Netherlands, and possibly Europe (tie with M-30 in Madrid).

Section: A1 interchange Watergraafsmeer (A10) - interchange Diemen (A9)

This section will be widened from 2x3 lanes to 2x4 lanes. There will be 10 lanes close to both interchanges.


Section: A1 interchange Diemen (A9) - interchange Muiderberg (A6)

This section will be widened from 2x3+2 lanes to 2x5+2 lanes plus 2 bus lanes, 14 lanes total. The drawbridge near Muiden will be replaced by a 14-lane aquaduct slightly south of the existing bridge, the widest aquaduct in the world. Some sections will feature 2x6 through lanes.


Section: A6 interchange Muiderberg (A1) - Almere-Buiten-Oost

This section will be widened from 2x3 / 2x2 lanes to an express-local setup, with basically 4x2 lanes near Almere, but up to 16 lanes closer to interchange Muiderberg. The existing Holland Bridge will be replaced by a new, 15-lane bridge, including 11 motorway lanes, 2 bus lanes and 2 non-motorway lanes for slow traffic. This bridge will become the widest in the Netherlands, surpassing the 12-lane Brienenoord Bridge in Rotterdam.


Section: A9 interchange Diemen (A1) - interchange Holendrecht (A2)

This section currently has 2x2 lanes and shoulder running during peak hours. Due to the expected growth on the A1-A9 corridor, interchange Diemen will be drastically realigned and Almere - Haarlem will become the through direction (A1 will run through a TOTSO). This section will be changed with a new tunnel, with 10 lanes, with a 5x2 setup (2 reversible lanes) in the tunnel, which will become 2x5 lanes approaching interchange Diemen.


Section: A9 interchange Badhoevedorp (A4) - interchange Holendrecht (A2)

This section currently has mostly 2x3 lanes, with 4 lanes per direction near interchanges. This section will see a modest upgrade with 2x4 lanes all the way, except approaching interchanges, where 2x5 or 2x6 lanes will be constructed. No exceptional constructions are needed here.


Section: A10 interchange Watergraafsmeer (A1) - interchange Amstel (A2)

This section currently has 2x3 lanes, and will be modestly upgraded to 2x4 lanes. This section has a narrow right-of-way and passes under a section of the Watergraafsmeer classification yard, which means there is not much space.


Related widenings:

A1: Bussum - interchange Eemnes
This section has a very narrow ROW and currently features 2x2 lanes. Shoulder running will be implemented by early 2011.

A2: Amsterdam - Utrecht
This section has recently been widened to 2x5 lanes, but will not be finished near Utrecht until late 2012 due to severe tunnel technical installation problems.

A4: Schiphol - Amsterdam
This section is currently the busiest 2x3 motorway in the Netherlands with 190,000 vehicles per day. For now, shoulder running will be added.

A10: Amsterdam-South
This section currently has 2x3 lanes and is severely congested. As a short-term solution, shoulder running will be added between A2 and A4. There are plans to completely rebuild the area around the motorway, including putting all motorway and rail infrastructure underground with 4x3 lanes. This is very expensive and can only be realized in conjunction with real estate development, but is put on-hold due to the economic situation.

[Brandon]

1 inch of snow fell yesterday during the evening rush hour, resulting in a full gridlock in most of the central parts of the Netherlands. According to the traditional traffic information, this was the second busiest rush hour of all times with a peak total congestion of 884 kilometers (553 miles) of queue at one time. The more detailed TomTom HD Traffic even recorded over 5,200 kilometers (3,200 miles) of queue in the Netherlands. There were individual traffic jams up to 50 miles long, in both directions on many freeways.

Only an inch?  Here. IDOT, ISTHA, Chicago, the counties, and municipalities would have the salt and plow trucks out in force ahead and during the storm.  We'd see slower than normal travel times, but nothing biblical.  For biblical, give us 10-12 inches within a couple of hours with blowing and drifting snow.

[J N Winkler]

Only an inch?  Here. IDOT, ISTHA, Chicago, the counties, and municipalities would have the salt and plow trucks out in force ahead and during the storm.  We'd see slower than normal travel times, but nothing biblical.  For biblical, give us 10-12 inches within a couple of hours with blowing and drifting snow.

Only an inch.  There really is little slack in the system.  A few years ago there was a snowfall in southern England (no more than three inches or so) which resulted in people being stranded in their cars for 24 hours or longer.

[Chris]

There are a few problems. First, the Dutch freeway network is extremely saturated. People keep far less than safe distances, and theoretically impossible traffic volumes are achieved (up to 3,000 vehicles per hour per lane). We also paved all our freeways with porous asphalt, so there is no splash even during heavy rain, so people can keep going on keeping very short distances. Hence, they are not used to any form of precipitation that cause them to keep more distance. They are not used to bad visibility, thus you have major problems during 1) snowfall (how little that may be) 2) fog and 3) accidents because the entire system is loaded to, and often over capacity.

[Bickendan]

wow, in the case of snow, everyone panics and stops?

at least, in California, people have the decency to run off the road into the ravine, thereby eliminating themselves as a source of blockage.

It snows in California?

[mightyace]

^^^

It snows plenty in the mountains.  Donner Pass area gets up to 400" a year.

But, I assume you're talking about the major cities.

[Bickendan]

Yep

[mgk920]

Can I safely assume that there will be connectivity upgrades for the A-9 on that part where it is combined with the A-2?

Mike

[Scott5114]

Yep

I am terrified as to what emoticon you were attempting to produce there.

[aswnl]

Can I safely assume that there will be connectivity upgrades for the A-9 on that part where it is combined with the A-2?

No you can't.
The interchange A2-A9 will remain the same, only a flyover for a tidal flow lane (A9) will be added.

[Bickendan]

Yep

I am terrified as to what emoticon you were attempting to produce there.

This one:

[Chris]

You often read about those stories that "more asphalt does not reduce traffic jams".

Here are some incredible statistics of the A2 in the province of North Brabant, before and after widening (2009-2010);

* A2 Zaltbommel -96% traffic congestion
* A2 Den Bosch -94% traffic congestion
* A2 Eindhoven -84% traffic congestion

While traffic volumes increased at the same time, and traffic congestion in the whole country also increased slightly (the recession does not seem to have a big impact on traffic congestion)

Zaltbommel was the worst traffic jam in the country in 2009, with 252,000 minutes there was 1 km of stationary traffic recorded. This dropped to only 20,000 kilometer-minutes in 2010. The A2 around Den Bosch dropped from 205,000 km-min in 2009 to 10,000 km-min in 2010.

[Chris]

I made a map of lane counts on Dutch freeways. It's a bit simplified, some sections have uneven lane counts, but are shown as even lane counts here.


NL lane count simple V2 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr

[Chris]

The Netherlands started a trial with 130 km/h (80 miles per hour) speed limits on some freeways. Today the first trial commenced on A7 in North Holland province.

[iwishiwascanadian]

They aren't doing that using Variable Speed Limits?  The photos here show that the road seems less-travelled, but it seems like the network has way too much volume to allow a speed limit that high...but i'm not Dutch so I don't really have a clue...

[Chris]

This section carries less than 40,000 vehicles per day. Busier freeways have variable signaling. They will also introduce 130 km/h on an 8-lane rural freeway.