The cabinet is pausing five road projects. These are sections of highways that were already at a standstill due to capacity shortages and nitrogen problems. The 1.5 billion euros that had been reserved for the projects will be used for other deficits.
That is what Minister Barry Madlener and State Secretary Chris Jansen of Infrastructure and Water Management reported on Thursday in a letter to the House of Representatives.
It concerns the A7/A8 Amsterdam-Hoorn, the A6 Almere Oostvaarders-Lelystad, the A50 Ewijk-Bankhoef-Paalgraven, the A16 Van Brienenoordcorridor and the A4 Burgerveen-N14. These projects have been at a standstill for some time because there was not enough manpower to take up the work. In addition, the nitrogen conditions could not be met.
Madlener emphasizes in the letter that the projects “will in any case not continue before 2030”. The impact of this decision is not yet clear.
The 1.5 billion euros that was reserved for the projects will be used to close gaps in the Mobility Fund. These are projects that, according to Madlener, “are feasible and can be implemented”. This includes maintenance of several bridges and a road widening between Everdingen and Gorinchem.
The A15 will also be extended by 12 kilometers and extra lanes will be laid on the A12 and A15. That should increase the flow to and the accessibility of the Arnhem-Nijmegen region. The A27 between Houten and Hooipolder will be widened and renewed over a length of 47 kilometers in the coming years. According to the minister, that project is urgent, because the Merwedebrug and Hagesteinsebrug are in urgent need of replacement.
PAUSES OCCUR MORE OFTEN DUE To Nitrogen and Capacity Problems
Another 357 million euros from the road projects will be used for the accessibility of new homes.
Madlener’s predecessor Mark Harbers also paused a series of infrastructure projects due to shortages of money, personnel and nitrogen space. The House of Representatives has urged to get them up and running again quickly.
“The ambition of the cabinet remains to start one paused project annually,” write Madlener and Jansen. “That could also be one of the five projects mentioned above.” But then there must be enough money, nitrogen space and personnel.