Improving Traffic Flow at Hoevelaken Junction
Planning, digital environmental impact assessment and implementation for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
PROJECT STORY
The challenge
Heavy traffic at the Hoevelaken junction was causing congestion, noise pollution and poor air quality.
The solution
Arcadis is helping to modify the junction and expand two highways on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
The impact
As well as improving traffic flow, this project will make the region more accessible and lead to better quality of life.
100,000
vehicles per day
37
kilometers of road widening
1.5
times less travel time
The challenge
Hoevelaken is one of the busiest traffic junctions in the Netherlands and features in traffic reports on an almost daily basis. The heavy traffic not only causes congestion and delays, but also noise pollution and poor air quality. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management therefore decided to join forces with regional authorities to drastically improve this junction.
The solution
Modifying the junction and widening the A1 between Bunschoten and Barneveld and the A28 between Nijkerk and Leusden will ensure better traffic flow in the future. In addition to a set of requirements, the State and regional authorities have drawn up a wish list for all government agencies, residents and interest groups. For example, the State authority wants additional emergency lanes and more parking for freight traffic and passenger cars. The regional authority's wishes include full links with the town of Hoevelaken, improvements to the underlying road network and compliance with the noise requirements of Nijkerk.
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The project involves the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the provinces of Utrecht and Gelderland, the municipalities of Amersfoort, Nijkerk, Leusden, Bunschoten and Barneveld, and the Waterschap Vallei and Veluwe water authority together with Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. On behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Arcadis is part of a joint venture, together with BAM and Van Oord. This group is handling both the planning and the construction. Our contribution to the project ranges from landscaping to drawing up an environmental impact assessment (EIA), built environment study and draft remediation decision, and specialist sub-studies for environmental management. The joint venture aims to meet as many of the requirements as possible within the budget, minimize inconvenience during the work and ensure sustainability. It has also put forward a suggestion for an integrated approach to planning and construction.
Several specialist sub-studies have been carried out, including an archeological study. We also delivered the landscape plan, the water structure plan, and the mitigation and compensation plan in advance, as well as advising on unexploded ordnance and land acquisition. During this project, we are responsible for environmental management and the planning procedure.
The impact
The work at the Hoevelaken junction is expected to be completed between 2022 and 2024. The junction will then be more sympathetic to the surrounding landscape, which will improve accessibility and quality of life in the region. The loop ramps of the previous cloverleaf design will be replaced by long link roads arranged around a 'bowl'. The bowl itself is an open space surrounded by a high ridge and encircled by trees. In addition to better traffic flow, this will create a special landscape that will also serve as a landmark for road users.
