A2 motorway (Netherlands)

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A2 motorway shield}}
A2 motorway
Rijksweg 2
Motorways in the Netherlands with A2 and N2 bolt
Route information
Part of E25 / E34 / E35
Maintained by Rijkswaterstaat[1]
Length217.098 km[2] (134.898 mi)
Major junctions
North end E19 / E35 / A 10 / S 110 in Amsterdam
Major intersections
South end E25 / A25 at Belgium border
Location
CountryKingdom of the Netherlands
Constituent countryNetherlands
ProvincesNorth Holland, Utrecht, Gelderland, North Brabant, Limburg
Highway system
A 1 N 3
The N2 through Maastricht.

The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is one of the busiest highways in the Netherlands. The road connects the city of Amsterdam, near the Amstel interchange with the Belgian border, near Maastricht (NL) and Liège (B), and the Belgian A25 road.

The route of the A2 motorway is shared with two major European routes. Between its start, at Amstel Interchange, near Amsterdam, and the Interchange Oudenrijn, near Utrecht, European route E35 follows the A2 motorway. From the Oudenrijn Interchange towards the Belgian border just south of Maastricht, European route E25 follows the route of the A2. Local and express lanes on A2 have different speed limits. The speed limit on express lanes is 120 km/h (75 mph) and locals is 100 km/h (~62 mph).

Route description[edit]

Road N2[edit]

In the past, the motorway A2 was interrupted at one location, near Maastricht. This section was referred to as N2, to make a distinction between the motorway (A2) and the non-motorway (N2).

The N2 through Maastricht[edit]

Until recently, the motorway A2 was interrupted between the interchanges Kruisdonk and Europaplein through Maastricht. This road section was built as a highway (N2) with several at-grade intersections with traffic lights. In December 2016 the Koning Willem-Alexandertunnel was opened to traffic, a 4-lane tunnel built in two layers, which put an end to this situation.

The N2 around Eindhoven[edit]

The beltway around the city of Eindhoven, the so-called Randweg between the interchanges Ekkersweijer and Leenderheide, uses a system of local-express lanes. The inner two lanes do not have any exits, so it is exclusively for express traffic passing the city of Eindhoven; it is considered a motorway (A2) with a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). The outer two lanes are used by vehicles to and from Eindhoven and the neighbouring towns. It does not meet the Dutch standards of a motorway (steeper grades near intersections and smaller bend radiuses), and has a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). These outer lanes have road number N2, to distinguish the local lanes from the express lanes.[3]


Future plans[edit]

Junctions Het Vonderen and Kerensheide[edit]

Preparatory work is underway to start widening the A2 motorway between Het Vonderen junction and Kerensheide. It will be effectively widened from 2x2 to 2x3 lanes. It should be ready between 2025 and 2027. It is considered one of the mayor road work plans since the construction of the Koning Willem Alexandertunnel in Maastricht to ease traffic flow.

History[edit]

Other reconstruction projects[edit]

The A2 motorway was subject to multiple reconstruction projects. Next to the project between the junctions in Limburg, as described above, the A2 was being rebuilt at the following locations:

Amsterdam - Utrecht[edit]

Between interchanges Holendrecht and Oudenrijn, the road has been widened from six (2x3) to ten (2x5) lanes. It has enough space to expand the road to fourteen (2x7) lanes. Near the city of Utrecht, a system of local-express lanes has been applied, with the inner three lanes serving express traffic, and the outer two lanes serving local traffic. Unlike the situation near Eindhoven, the motorway status is maintained for local lanes, which means that all ten lanes will keep the name A2.[4][5]

Between 1954 and 1986, a level crossing operated on the motorway.

Utrecht - 's-Hertogenbosch[edit]

Between interchanges Oudenrijn and Everdingen, the A2 was expanded to 2x4 lanes. Between interchanges Everdingen and Deil, the road is widened from four (2x2) to eight lanes (2x4); the section between interchanges Deil and Empel was expanded from four to six lanes.[6]

's-Hertogenbosch beltway[edit]

The A2 around the city of 's-Hertogenbosch was rebuilt similarly to the future situation near Utrecht. However, there are only just four express lanes, instead of the six near Utrecht, so the road has 4x2 lanes.[7]

's-Hertogenbosch - Eindhoven[edit]

Since both the 's-Hertogenbosch and Eindhoven beltways were finished in 2009, a new bottleneck appeared between both cities. The motorway has only 2x2 lanes while both beltways are having twice the capacity. Construction of expanding this section to 2x3 lanes started on December 13, 2011. [8]

Exit list[edit]

CountryProvinceMunicipalitykmmiExitNameDestinationsNotes
The NetherlandsNorth HollandAmsterdam3119Interchange Amstel E19 / E35 / A 10 / S 110North end of E 35 overlap
Ouder-Amstel33211Oudekerk aan de Amstel N 522
Amsterdam3522Holendrecht interchange A 9
36222Amsterdam-Zuidoost S 111Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
UtrechtAbcoude39243Abcoude
De Ronde Venen44274Vinkeveen N 201
Breukelen50315Breukelen N 401
Utrecht57356Maarssen N 230
60377Utrecht-Leidsche Rijn-Centrum
62398Utrecht-Centrum N 198
6440Oudenrijn interchange E25 / E35 / A 12South end of E 35 overlap; north end of E 25 overlap
Nieuwegein68429Nieuwegein N 210
714410Nieuwegein-Zuid
Vianen724511Vianen
7446Everdingen interchange E311 / A 27
794912Everdingen N 483 / N 484
GelderlandCulemborg815013Culemborg N 320
Geldermalsen855314Beesd
885515Geldermalsen N 327
9157Deil interchange E31 / A 15
Neerijnen945816Waardenburg N 830Gap in km near Waalbrug
Zaltbommel1026317Zaltbommel N 322
Maasdriel1076619Kerkdriel N 831
North Brabant's-Hertogenbosch11270Empel interchange A 59North end of A59 overlap
1137020Rosmalen
11571Hintham Interchange A 59South end of A59 overlap
Veghel1177321Veghel N 279
Schijndel1197422Sint-Michielsgestel N 617
Vught12075Vught interchange A 65Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
1217523Tilburg N 65Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
1237624Vught
Boxtel1277925Boxtel-Noord
1328226Boxtel
Best1388627Best-West
1418828Best
Eindhoven143–
12
89–
7.5
Ekkersweijer interchange A 50Gap in km due to connection with A50
13–
154
8.1–
96
Batadorp interchange E312 / A 58Gap in km due to connection with A58
1569729Eindhoven-Airport
1579830Eindhoven-CentrumSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
1589830aMeerhoven-Zuid
Veldhoven1599931Veldhoven
16210132Veldhoven-Zuid
Eindhoven163–
19
101–
12
De Hogt interchange E34 / A 67Gap in km due to connection with A67; west end of A67 and E 34 overlap
201232aHigh Tech Campus
221433Waalre N 69
23–
170
14–
110
Leenderheide interchange E34 / A 67Gap in km due to connection with A67; east end of A67 and E 34 overlap
Valkenswaard17610934Valkenswaard N 396
Heeze-Leende17811135LeendeNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
Cranendonck18311436Maarheeze
18511537Budel
LimburgWeert18911738Weert-Noord
Nederweert19412139Nederweert N 275Gap in km
Leudal20612840Kelpen-Oler N 280
21313241Grathem N 273
Maasgouw21613442WessemNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
21813543MaasbrachtSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Echt-Susteren22014044Sint Joost N 276
221137Het Vonderen interchange A 73Northbound exit and southbound entrance
22413945Echt
22814246Roosteren N 296
Sittard-Geleen23214447Born N 297
Stein23914948Urmond N 294
241150Kerensheide interchange E314 / A 76
24315149Elsloo
Meerssen24615350Ulestraten
25016051MeerssenSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Maastricht25415852Maastricht-NoordSouthbound entrance and exit only
254158Kruisdonk interchange A 79Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
North end of A2 / N2 road designation
25816053Maastricht-Centrum NoordSouthbound entrance still under construction
26116254Maastricht-Centrum Zuid N 278Northbound entrance and southbound exit still under construction
South end of A2 / N2 road designation
26316355Maastricht-ZuidSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Eijsden26516556Gronsveld
26816757Oost-MaarlandSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
27017058EijsdenNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
The Netherlands / Belgium
country line
Limburg (NL) / Limburg (BE)
province line
Eijsden / Voeren
municipality line
E25 / A25Border with Belgium; this road continues as the Belgian A25; south end of E 25 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Wegbeheerders". Rijkswaterstaat. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Actuele Wegenlijst Julie 2015" (PDF). Rijkswaterstaat. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  3. ^ A2: vernieuwing randweg Eindhoven, Rijkswaterstaat Archived June 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch)
  4. ^ A2: verbreding knooppunt Holendrecht – aansluiting Maarssen, Rijkswaterstaat Archived April 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch)
  5. ^ A2: verbreding Maarssen tot knooppunt Oudenrijn, Rijkswaterstaat Archived September 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch)
  6. ^ A2: verbreding Everdingen - Deil, Rijkswaterstaat Archived April 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch)
  7. ^ A2: Rondweg 's-Hertogenbosch, Rijkswaterstaat (in Dutch)
  8. ^ infrasite.nl