The adjustments on Marnixlaan are part of the Western City Boulevard project. The municipality is changing the roads between 24 Oktoberplein and the Marnix Bridge “from a busy traffic road into a safe road with greenery and trees.”
The area will have fewer lanes as much as possible, wide central reservations, more greenery, separate cycle paths (where possible in both directions), footpaths on both sides of the road and smart traffic lights.
It is part of the municipality’s policy to give cyclists space and to allow motorists to use the ring road as much as possible.
It is expected to take another year before the entire project is completed. The Marnixlaan was overhauled more than a year ago. Here the lanes were changed from four to two and the intersection was replaced by a priority square.
Last summer, the municipality started a study into traffic safety at the priority square. That research will be completed around March.
“We also see that traffic around intersections often comes to a standstill at busy times,” the municipality said. “The work on the Western City Boulevard has not yet been completed and it has been indicated in advance that there may be inconvenience to car traffic.”
In the coming period, the municipality will ensure that the traffic lights are better coordinated. This should make the intersections less busy and allow traffic from side streets to merge better. Cyclists and pedestrians should also be able to cross more easily. Utrecht will probably be working on this until the summer.
Last summer, the municipality started a study into traffic safety at the priority square. That research will be completed around March.