The N261 between Waalwijk and Tilburg has suffered so much damage due to the winter weather that work will have to be done all weekend. The province reports this. The right lane has been closed in both directions since Friday and there is a maximum speed of seventy kilometers per hour. The thin noise-reducing coating causes additional damage to the road surface.
The exceptional winter weather has caused damage to the asphalt on the N261 in several places. It is expected that work will continue all weekend to repair all damage. The right lanes will therefore remain closed all weekend.
Noise-reducing coating has many pores that freeze
There is a so-called thin noise-reducing coating on the N261. This type of asphalt contains many pores that absorb traffic noise. During heavy precipitation, these pores can fill with water. When that water freezes, it expands and cracks appear in the road surface.
This has now happened in several places. According to the province, the asphalt layer was already at the end of its lifespan and major maintenance was planned for next spring.
It is not yet clear how long emergency repairs will take
Emergency repairs were already carried out during the night from Thursday to Friday, but due to the wet weather it was not possible to repair everything. Together with the contractor, the province is trying to repair as much of the road surface as possible this weekend. How quickly this will be possible also depends on the weather in the coming days.
Until the work is completed, the right lane will remain closed in both directions and a maximum speed limit of kilometers per hour applies. According to an initial inventory, no damage of a comparable extent has yet been found on other provincial roads in North Brabant.