Should the Houtribdijk between Enkhuizen and Lelystad be widened with extra lanes? That is one of the regional statements in the voting aid Kieskompas from the regional broadcasters and the NOS. Supporters see it as a boost for the region, while opponents speak of a waste of money.
It is November 30, 2018. The road between Alkmaar and Enkhuizen, costing more than 400 million euros, had just been festively opened. But then VVD deputy Elisabeth Post immediately looked further. “Now we have to tackle the Enkhuizen-Lelystad dike. That is the dot on the horizon.”
Expanding the number of lanes would provide a good, interesting east-west connection. This would make the West Friesland region more attractive for entrepreneurs to establish themselves there. Moreover, it should relieve the pressure on the busy roads around Amsterdam. Many transport companies still often prefer that route instead of over the dike.
Safety
And that also has to do with safety. There are accidents on the Houtribdijk with some regularity. As a result, the road must be completely closed and the outcome is often serious. At the end of last year a motorist came still alive when it collided with a truck.
In 2019, the Houtribdijk, actually owned by the province of Flevoland, even ended up in the coalition agreement of the province of North Holland. Er came an investigation to the possible arrival of a bridge between West Friesland.
In the meantime, then Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen was responsible for Infrastructure and Water Management less enthusiastic. Given the high costs, she said it was not a priority. “We don’t have an immediate focus on that right now,” she said in 2020. Not much later, the province also concluded that the construction of a bridge is unfeasible and expansion of lanes was unnecessary.
‘Flut report’
To the disappointment of the region. And also to irritation, such as with the West Frisian Business Group, which criticizes the research. “I rarely have such a crap report seen. It completely ignores the core question. It is not about the dike being overloaded now, but the Randstad,” said then chairman Hans Huibers.
But anyway it remained silent afterwards, although the wish is still there. Do you think widening the Houtribdijk is necessary, or is that indeed a waste of money?
Give your opinion below in the Electoral Compass and see what other political parties think about it.