The Oosterhamriktracé, the direct connection for car traffic from the city of Groningen to the eastern ring road, seems far away. The necessary millions are not there for the taking.
This became apparent this week during a meeting of the Neighborhood Consultation Professorenbuurt-Oost in Groningen. When it comes to financing the traffic plan, the national and provincial authorities fail to do so. The municipality of Groningen itself cannot put the necessary 100 million on the table.
Tight streets
The announcement that no ‘big money’ will come from outside for the time being is received with cheers in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Residents don’t like the Oosterhamrik route. When the current bus lane is opened to car traffic, the buses will be moved to adjacent narrow streets. This is at the expense of the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. According to the residents, the municipality is destroying the quality of life in the neighborhoods.
City is closing up
In the lion’s den, aldermen Rik van Niejenhuis (Housing) and Philip Broeksma (Traffic) stated that the Oosterhamrik route is not off the table despite a lack of money. Groningen is clogged with car traffic during rush hour. To relieve the city, the municipality wants motorists to be able to access the ring roads more quickly. In this way, the UMCG has been pushing for a better connection with the hospital for years.
Don’t mention the O word
The Oosterhamrik route is such a loaded subject that the board of the Buurtoverleg Professorenbuurt-Oost does not want to derail the meeting with the aldermen. ,,The O-word does not have to be used all the time. Let’s keep it fun”, says chairman Hans ter Haar. Residents want the municipality to scrap the ‘eastern spike’. They won’t settle for less.
Stay in the dark longer
Broeksma explains that the Oosterhamriktracé is indispensable in the overall traffic plan of the city. ,,We want to relieve the Diepenring, Praediniussingel and other important roads with this.” Van Niejenhuis agrees with him. ,,When it comes to implementation, I regret that you are left in the dark for longer.” Residents only hope for one thing, namely that postponement will eventually lead to cancellation. “Just stop it, this whole plan makes no sense. You’re destroying neighborhoods with this,” says one resident.
More houses, more money
Van Niejenhuis explains why no money is expected from the government in the short term. The municipality was under the assumption that ‘The Hague’ could be helpful in solving infrastructural problems in the city. “Those problems are no longer leading in co-financing from the government. Minister Hugo de Jonge (Housing) wants many more houses to be built. Money for traffic and roads is linked to an increase in housing construction.
Bridges not a priority
On that point, the Oosterhamrikzône does not score high enough, Van Niejenhuis fears. In addition, a new bridge must be built for the route. “If you see how much effort it takes to replace the Gerrit Krol bridge, it is no news that a new bridge is not a priority for Rijkswaterstaat.” Broeksma does not exclude that the implementation of the Oosterhamrik route will take years. “In any case, the plan is not off the table. The matter is not settled yet.”
Game of Thrones
A resident wants to know whether the government will have money left over for the controversial connection if more apartments and houses are built in the vicinity. Neighbors then say that they have had enough as far as the high-rise is concerned. In their eyes, the Oosterhamrikkade is not getting any better. A resident says: “The buildings form a physical separation between the Korrewegbuurt and the Oosterparkwijk. When I see big white complexes I think of an episode of ‘ Game of Thrones ‘. Is that what we want?”