There must be a separate bicycle bridge at Nijstad and the Echtenseweg as quickly as possible. That is what Hoogeveen and De Wolden say. Cyclists and cars are currently sharing the crossing over the canal. That can cause dangerous situations, both municipalities think.
The current bridge is used by students, athletes and work traffic. In the rush, that causes danger. The expectation is that it will only get busier in the future, because of the arrival of houses, holiday homes and a hotel.
Both municipalities recently went to see the situation on the spot. “You see that it is not safe. With a separate bridge we give cyclists the space and we keep the traffic apart,” says Alderman Ronald Klok.
Neighborhood De Wolden emphasizes that it is mainly about young people. They have to go to school in Hoogeveen or Meppel every day. It is not intended that they have to squeeze between cars and trucks.
Both municipalities are moving together in the project because the traffic point is on the border of both regions. Both want to put in money and hope for support from the province of Drenthe. It is not yet certain that the bicycle bridge is coming, the helping hand of the province is needed.
The bicycle crossing does not stand on its own. There are more projects to make the route between Meppel and Hoogeveen safer and more attractive. For example, cycle paths are widened in various places and crossing are improved. The bridge at Nijstad must be the final piece of that improved connection.