Roadworks to cause massive traffic issues in Utrecht region this and next weekend
Rijkswaterstaat expects massive traffic problems in and around Utrecht this weekend and next weekend. Both the A12 and the A2 will be closed for road works. Road users can expect detours and delays up to an hour. Amsterdam is also currently facing traffic chaos due to the Zuidasdok infrastructure project. The A4 and the A10 South will be closed at various times until Tuesday morning, May 5, causing extra travel time of up to an hour.
In Utrecht, the A12 toward The Hague will be closed from May 1 to May 4 from the Oudenrijn interchange to the N11 junction near Bodegraven. One lane will be available for local traffic between the Oudenrijn interchange and Woerden. This part of the highway will be closed again next weekend.
On both weekends, the closures will be from 10:00 p.m. on Friday until 5:00 a.m. on Monday. The on- and off-ramps and connecting roads will close earlier, starting at 8:00 p.m. on Friday.
At the same time, roadworks are ongoing on the A2 toward Utrecht. This highway will also be closed this coming weekend between the Everdingen and Oudenrijn junctions, following the same timeframe as the A12 closure.
The A2 roadworks have been going on for some time, accompanied by weekend closures. In recent weeks, this regularly led to significant delays and a complete gridlock on the local roads around Vianen, according to RTV Utrecht.
Rijkswaterstaat, therefore, again urged road users to follow the official detour routes via the highways, even if their navigation app indicates a back road route. Using back roads often leads to congestion in residential areas and villages, rendering them inaccessible to residents and emergency services.
The infrastructure authority said it understands the inconvenience of two major highway closures in the same region at the same time. But work has to be done now because this is the “asphalt season,” Rijkswaterstaat said.
From April through October, the outdoor temperature is high enough to process asphalt properly. At lower temperatures, the asphalt cools down too quickly and doesn’t harden properly, which compromises the quality and means that it will need to be replaced again sooner.
Rijkswaterstaat is also performing roadworks in other regions, leading to highway closures this weekend. Among others, the A7 highway toward Heerenveen will be closed between Hoogkerk and Westpoort, the A9 will be closed in both directions around the Wijkertunnel, and the A12 will be closed in both directions at the IJsselburg near Arnhem. More information can be found on Rijkswaterstaat’s website.
