Together with Noordmolenstraat, the Zwart Janstraat forms the Noorderboulevard in Rotterdam, the beating heart of the Old North. There are no fewer than 181 shops in Zwart Janstraat and it is always bustling. There is a lot of traffic and there is frequent speeding, and there is often double parking here. Trucks that are loading or unloading, cyclists driving everywhere in between and then there are also cars and pedestrians. It is often a chaotic, unsafe and unclear situation in this street. Accidents often happen here, figures show that since 2019 46 people have been involved in 27 accidents on this street. Not to mention the unregistered accidents. The Municipality of Rotterdam has therefore started a trial for the next four months.
“Traffic research shows that there is a lot of through traffic towards the highway through Zwart Janstraat. In addition, there is often double parking in the street. This creates unsafe and unclear situations between cyclists, pedestrians and cars. The loading and unloading of the many freight traffic also makes the street busier and less safe. 'Since 2019, 46 people have been involved in 27 accidents. Those are the registered numbers. Anyone who regularly cycles through Zwart Janstraat knows that there are many more unregistered collisions and many near-accidents. It doesn't feel safe to cycle or walk there. During this trial, we want to see whether we can make the shopping street attractive again for cyclists and the people who like to do their shopping here by using one-way traffic."
For the next four months, one-way traffic will apply on Zwart Janstraat for freight traffic and for cars. With this trial, the municipality wants to give cyclists more space on the street and see whether the introduction of one-way traffic will make the street clearer and safer. During this trial, the municipality collects data such as how much traffic is driving through Zwart Janstraat, residents and entrepreneurs from this and surrounding streets are given a questionnaire to test safety. Road users are asked monthly on the street what they think of road safety since it is one-way traffic. Ultimately, the municipality makes a decision whether the street will remain a one-way street or whether it will return to the way it was. The municipality of Rotterdam has been busy for some time to make the city safer and more attractive. They want to reduce the speed in 18 streets from 50 kilometers per hour to 30 kilometers per hour next year and next year. This will reduce the number of traffic accidents and the impact of a traffic accident at 30 kilometers per hour will be less than at 50 kilometers per hour.
Also read: Traffic nuisance in Scheveningen has the attention of the municipality
