Emmen will make a decision in 2024 about the approach to the station area

The plan, which was estimated to cost 25 million euros, ended up on the shelf in 2019 due to extensive cuts. Now that there is some flexibility in the municipal housekeeping book, the municipality is looking into this again.

The station area has had an impoverished appearance for years and also looks old-fashioned. So a refresh is necessary. The idea is to convert the station into a fully-fledged public transport node or hub: an attractive location to stay and where everyone can easily switch to public transport from any means of transport.

All in all, it is a fairly complicated job, since a whole slew of developments must be taken into account. Such as the Lower Saxony line (train connection Enschede/Emmen/Groningen) and the connection between Emmen and the German Rheine that should be there in 2025.

At the same time, the question is what effect the proposed doubling of Boermarkeweg will have on the station area. Finally, the connection between the station and the shopping center is also being looked at. The idea is therefore to turn the Stationsstraat, which lies between the two, into a boulevard. In the past, efforts were also made to make Kolhoopstraat and the Boslaan-Weerdingerstraat traffic-calming route. But that’s off the job. The current traffic situation is not going to change, according to inquiries from the municipality.

According to the municipality, a concrete step can now be taken by drawing up a design plan for both the station area and the adjacent Weerdingerstraat. In any case, the refurbishment will have no consequences for the existing driving, cycling and walking routes.

“The idea is to maintain the current routing and invest in keeping the area up-to-date,” said a municipal spokesman. The approach routes of the buses will probably also remain the same.

Another part of the plans is the replacement of the sewer system of the part of the Weerdingerstraat between the Seinstraat and the Hondsrugweg. This will also be included in the design plan that should be ready next year. By that time it will also be clear what costs will be involved in the refurbishment.

For the time being, the municipality has assumed an investment of 25 million euros. Whether this amount needs to be adjusted must be apparent from the design plan. “With the current prices, it is difficult, if not impossible, to say anything about this now. The costs for this will be reflected in the 2024 budget and then final choices will be made about costs and what we can or cannot do.” said the spokesperson. “Of course, the rising construction costs also play a role.”

According to alderman René van der Weide, talks have already been held with the Groningen-Drenthe public transport agency about modernizing the station area. It is the intention that they also contribute. One point is that the agency has had to make millions of cuts, resulting in the cancellation of several bus lines in Emmen, among other things.

“That makes it a bit more difficult,” says Van der Weide. “It takes no effort to hand in a wish list to them. But it also depends on their own available financial leeway. In that respect, they are leading in what is possible.”

Finally, the question is whether Emmen can also count on a new station building to replace the current one, which dates from 1965. According to the municipality, there are currently no discussions with ProRail or the Dutch Railways about this.