Plans for construction work on Grote Berg include planting more greenery and moving the cycle paths onto the road. The cycle paths will be grey instead of the previous red.
Residents of De Bergen (the area including Grote Berg and Kleine Berg) are concerned about the plans for the cycle paths in particular. ‘In a street where cars drive at 70 or 80 kilometres per hour, how safe is that for cyclists?’, asks Sander Vrugt van Keulen.
Van Keulen has lived on Grote Berg for 20 years and complains that the road is used as a race track by some cars. He adds that ‘it’s busy here with cars and buses. Trucks and delivery vans block the street to make their deliveries to shops and restaurants’.
One-way street
Marlous Hermans, chairwoman of the De Bergen residents association, is generally happy with the plans. ‘Everyone agrees that this street could use a makeover. Soon it will look sleek and green and we will become a real part of the city centre,’ she says.
Hermans told municipality officials that she prefers Grote Berg to be a one-way street. However, that is not possible as traffic must be able to go in and out of the city.
Cohesive city centre
A 30 kilometres per hour speed limit will be imposed to make the street safer. But whether motorists will adhere to this remains a concern for the residents.
The municipality opted for grey cycle paths as they match the design of the rest of the city centre. This way, De Bergen becomes part of the city centre and fits in with the city council’s vision.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Rachael Vickerman
