A4 motorway (Netherlands)

The A4 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands from Amsterdam to the Belgian border near Zandvliet. Some parts of the motorway are still not completed. The completed route as of 2006 is divided into three parts: from Amsterdam via The Hague to Delft, from Vlaardingen (junction Kethelplein) to Pernis, and finally from Bergen op Zoom to the Belgian border. The total length of the completed route is 115 kilometers.

The construction of the missing link from Delft to Vlaardingen has always been very controversial, but minister of Transport and Waterworks Karla Peijs authorised the construction of this link on 14 May 2006. Some of the roadbed preparation has been completed in this section, starting in 1968. A further extension was planned for this motorway from its southern terminus to the A29 near Klaaswaal. Very little roadwork has been completed in this section, though right-of-way has been acquired for the A29 interchange.

Missing links in the A4

Midden Delfland missing link

The A4 connects three of the four most important cities in The Netherlands, but there are still sections missing. Especially between Delft and Schiedam, a notorious gap is in the A4, which causes huge traffic jams on the adjacent A13, connecting The Hague and Rotterdam. Plans are made to solve this gap decades ago, but there isn't any construction yet for this 7000 meter gap. Overview

1957: Road 19 adopted in the national highway plan of 1957.

1965: Route set by the government.

1968: Start of the construction of the dike where the road is supposed to lead on.

1976: Government stopped the construction of the A4.

1985: Government voted in favour of construction.

1998: Finances for A4 diverted to construction of railway tunnels.

2006: Costs of the construction have risen to 700 million for 7 kilometers.

Benelux - Klaaswaal missing link

This section should connect the existing A4 section west of Rotterdam towards Belgium. The Benelux junction is built so construction for this part of the A4 would be easy. This missing link creates heavy traffic jams on the nearby A29 and A15 motorways. This section is about 12 kilometres long. Supporters of the scheme contend that cities like Hoogvliet, Spijkenisse, Barendrecht and Rotterdam would be relieved from traffic jams, however environmentalists oppose the A4, saying it would only create more traffic.

Overview

1961: Route approved as national road 19 by the government.

2005: Space reserved in the mobility vision of the government.

Section between Klaaswaal and Dinteloord

The motorway section between Klaaswaal and Dinteloord is currently known as A29, but the intention is to include it in the A4 motorway in the future. When the missing links between Benelux and Klaaswaal, and between Dinteloord and Halsteren are completed, this section will be renumbered to create a continuous motorway A4 between junction Benelux and the Belgian border. For now, however, this section of road is still being numbered as A29, to avoid confusion with motorists.

Dinteloord - Halsteren missing link

This section will connect the now named A29 motorway (national road 4) to the city of Bergen op Zoom and the Belgium region of Antwerp. Constructing this missing link would relieve the A16 from its notorious traffic jams near Dordrecht, the Moerdijkbridge and adjacent roads like the A17 motorway.However, as of 2007 there is still a 16 kilometer section missing, but road construction is likely underway, as there are 2 possible routes; east and west of the small city of Steenbergen. An eastern bypass would be shortest, but it is said that it would through the Mark river area, which is seen as an important natural aspect in the region by some. A western route is longer and would require an aqueduct which is much more expensive.The Minister of Transport, Camiel Eurlings, opened the so-called Halsteren bypass at December 15th 2007. This bypass consists of a 4 kilometers long extension from the existing exit 27 to the N286 road north of the town Halsteren, to relieve the N259 road through that town.

Overview

1971: Route approved as national road 19 by the government

2005: Finances saved, there is a budget of 218 million euros available

2006: Bypass construction near Halsteren awarded to construction companies.

2007: Government chooses to construct the A4 west of Steenbergen.

Exit list