Node Hoevelaken's approach has been discussed for decades.
The approach to Junction A1-A30 near Barneveld and Junction Hoevelaken near Amersfoort and Nijkerk cannot wait any longer, because that is untenable for the accessibility of the Central and Eastern Netherlands. Region Foodvalley, eight regional municipalities and entrepreneurial and transport organizations such as VNO-NCW, TLN, evofenedex and the ANWB write this in a burn letter to Minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure & Water Management).
Both interchanges are of strategic importance for the accessibility of the central and eastern Netherlands via the A1, one of the most important east-west connections of our country and to Germany. “Both nodes already cause long traffic jams, economic damage and accidents on a daily basis. In the coming years, 25.000 homes will be built in Region Foodvalley and 27.000 homes in Region Amersfoort. New business parks are also being constructed. The approach of the two nodes can therefore no longer wait and must start sooner than tomorrow,” said governments and organizations in the urgent letter.
The approach has been postponed a number of times. Meanwhile, the traffic jams on and around the interchange are getting longer (such as on the A1, A28 and the access roads to the interchange).
They are sounding the alarm after Minister Harbers announced that money for the construction of new roads will shift to the management and maintenance of existing infrastructure. This has major consequences for the urgently needed approach to Junctions A1-A30 and Junction Hoevelaken. “We made agreements about this with the government. The 'artery' to and from the Central and Eastern Netherlands must not become clogged up any further; this also has consequences for the Randstad. Something has to be done now,” say Regio Foodvalley, regional municipalities, province, business and transport organizations who want to discuss this with the minister.
Traffic congestion and accidents
Junction A1-A30 at Barneveld causes long traffic jams every morning and afternoon. The connection of the A1 and the A30 was never designed as a connection of two highways (A1 and A30), which has caused a lot of delays for years and the interchange is in the top 10 of traffic jams. There is also an unsafe situation, partly because of the rush-hour lane from Amersfoort that automatically becomes an exit lane and unfortunately causes a lot of confusion and many registered accidents. “The delay around the A1-A30 junction cost our transport sector more than € 10 million per year a few years ago,” say business and transport organizations. “That has only increased today.”
A speedy approach to the A1-A30 and Hoevelaken junctions is a win-win situation, according to governments and entrepreneurs. The replacement of existing old infrastructure goes hand in hand with improving the accessibility of economically strong and growing regions in the Central and Eastern Netherlands. This contributes to the broad prosperity of the Netherlands. “In the various housing deals, we made agreements with the government about the construction of new homes, for which improving and strengthening accessibility is a precondition; not only for residents, but also for entrepreneurs. We call on the minister to come up with solutions to start tackling both nodes as soon as possible.”
