That Steenwijkerstraatweg might turn into a bicycle street. And then a roundabout is no longer necessary there. But that depends on whether there will be a new access road to Meppel. If the city council decides not to have it built, a roundabout will be needed at the water tower.
The roundabout is now also the entrance to the new residential area of Nieuwveense Landen. But that access will in any case expire. Two new access roads are currently being built to the district. The current road will change to a bicycle road. Cyclists from Nieuwveense Landen and Nijeveen will be able to reach Meppel via the bicycle tunnel in the future.
The roundabout that is there now will disappear anyway. The question now is whether a new one is needed. It would be beneficial for the bicycle tunnel if no new roundabout were built, as this would create more space for cyclists. A policy advisor from the municipality says that the bicycle tunnel is “fit and measure” in the current design.
The new access road will then be constructed a little further on, with a new bridge over the Drentse Hoofdvaart to reach the center. It is all part of the plans that exist for the implementation of Noordpoort. A large area in the north of Meppel, which now includes a shipyard, a business park, homes and the water tower.