Groningen is facing a difficult year in terms of traffic. Experts ask road users for help, but do they take it seriously?
What is going on?
From March to September, part of the southern ring road (A7/N7) in Groningen is closed to traffic. If motorists continue to come all in their cars and look for a shortcut, the city’s ring roads will soon fill up. Experts therefore expect chaotic traffic with many stopped cars.
Why is such a long traffic closure necessary?
For Operation Ring South. This name was coined for the major works of the Ring South Approach project in 2024. The builder of the new ring road, Combinatie Herepoort, will this year connect the new Vrijheidsplein (partly already in use) to the new Julianaplein (almost ready). next to traffic) and then the Julianaplein at the sunken point (which was built next to the existing road), and this tunnel on the new Europaplein (which is already in use).
First the ring road on the west side of Julianaplein (Drachten) will be closed (the route between A28 and Hoogezand will then be opened), then on the east side of Julianaplein (then the route between A28 and Drachten/western ring road will be opened).
Where is the traffic?
In principle road users can make a detour during the entire period via the Western, Northern and Eastern ring roads, but they do not have enough capacity for all cars (trucks). Traffic will come to a standstill everywhere in the city as people en masse look for shortcuts, expect in Groningen Bereikbaar. “This is our doomsday scenario,” says spokeswoman Ingeborg Schroor-van Loenen, “because essential traffic, including emergency services and public transport, will stop.”
To avoid such a heart attack it is necessary to reduce traffic throughout the city by 20%. The organization invites road users, including people who do not personally use the ring road, to work from home, cycle or use public transport (from home or from a P+R on the edge of the city).
Wasn’t there such a call before?
Yes, because of the Julianaplein operation. The current temporary Julianaplein was built between February 11 and May 9, 2022, and some major roads were also blocked. This actually caused an increase in crowds in the city, but all in all the problem wasn’t that bad. According to Groningen Bereikbaar, many people responded to the call to leave the car at home, the business community made a significant contribution and cyclists were once again supportive. Freight traffic opted for routes to the west side (via Heerenveen) or the east side of the city (via Zuidbroek).
So it won’t be so bad now, right?
Many people react this way and this is exactly what Groningen Bereikbaar is afraid of, says Schroor. “The possibility of a traffic jam is higher than in 2022. This is because there are many more works and therefore there is much less asphalt available than last time. We have to resist longer because the closures last twice as long and since then traffic has increased by 6%. We also emerged from the corona situation two years ago: everyone was still used to working from home.
Last year the number of vehicle movements to and from the city was still on average 8% lower than before the coronavirus, but we observe large fluctuations. Since spring in some weeks the level has remained the same as 2019 and sometimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays it is even busier. On those days the evening rush hour can become very critical and the challenge is greater.”
Does this reach everyone?
Many entrepreneurs in the city’s large ZuidOost industrial park still don’t care. This is partly because the crowds in 2022 weren’t that bad. Experiments with an office bus and special shared cars attracted little interest, and employees and customers could live just fine with a 10-15 minute delay. However, large companies and institutions, including professional freight, education and hospitals, have been preparing for it for some time.
Why don’t others do it yet?
Maybe things went too well in 2022? Schroor: “I recognize that image. There are also people who only think about it until the last minute or leave it alone and may end up blocked before doing anything. We will try to make it clear that this is not wise in the coming weeks through a large-scale public campaign, with a roadshow to companies, markets and shops in the city center of Groningen. But we also move into the province and go to Friesland and Drenthe. There’s no reason to sit down.”
“Traffic faces a difficult situation and we can only work together to ensure delays remain minimal. We must complete this work together: individuals, institutions and companies from across the north of the Netherlands. Of course, not everyone can do without a car, but take the right measures, choose the right routes and avoid Groningen if possible to avoid traffic jams. Nobody wants to experience that scenario.
2024-01-11 18:00:00
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