Photo: Herman Stöver Traffic lights are to be installed at the crossing on the Nijenoord Allee in Wageningen, where an 18-year-old student was killed last Thursday, says a spokesperson of Wageningen municipality.
Gelderland province, responsible for implementing the Beter Bereikbaar Wageningen (Better Access to Wageningen) project, which includes an update of the Nijenoord Allee, expects the reconstruction of said road to take place between 2024 and 2026. ‘So, that will take a while’, says Roger Heijltjes, of Wageningen’s Cyclist Union. The union held a small demonstration on Sunday to commemorate the deceased student and to stress that additional road safety measures are needed in that location. ‘We are eager to discuss options with the province.’
Heijltjes does not understand why change must take so long. ‘This is an intersection everyone considers dangerous. We have been warning for years that a catastrophe is just a matter of time. And now, one has taken place. We can’t wait another year, or even longer, for measures to be taken.’
Police investigation
The spokesperson for the municipality does not rule out the possibility of action being taken sooner. ‘The tragic accident has rattled us, and our thoughts are with the victim’s family, friends and acquaintances’, says the spokesperson. ‘The police are currently investigating how the accident happened. If the investigation calls for additional measures, they will be taken, but for now, we must await the outcome.’ A group of students discussed the dangers posed by this intersection with mayor Floor Vermeulen on Monday.
Three crossings
The crossing where the accident occurred is one of three crossings within 200 meters. Two official crossings: the one near student apartment Hoevestein and the aforementioned crossing near sports park De Bongerd that leads to the campus. A little to the west, there is an unofficial crossing that is popular among students of Pantarijn. They cycle from their homes in (mostly) Noordwest to their school along the Hollandseweg, near Asia Plaza restaurant. As they often cross the Nijenoord Allee diagonally, this is also a dangerous spot.
This article was previously published in De Gelderlander / Arnold Winkel
