The roundabout at the entrance to the campus in corona times. Photo: Roelof Kleis. Presentation of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the campus ring road has been delayed by the coronavirus crisis. The report was due to appear this week.
However, Gelderland provincial authority has not been able to keep to this timetable. It is not clear when the study will be presented. The report assesses the effect on the environment of the measures to tackle congestion around the campus. Those measures are either a new ring road around the campus or changes to the existing roads to improve traffic flows.
The new traffic forecasts for 2030 are now available. The calculations had to be redone because of errors. The new forecasts also take account of the latest information on population growth and job numbers. They show that traffic is set to increase considerably over the next decade.
Big increases
The number of car journeys in Wageningen will increase by 5 to 15 per cent depending on the growth scenario. That will cause congestion during the morning and evening rush hours on Mansholtlaan and Nijenoordallee. In the morning, queues on Mansholtlaan from the A12 will stretch back to Bennekom (Van Balverenweg) and on Diendenweg back to the Hollandseweg roundabout.
The increased traffic is caused by projected growth in the number of inhabitants of 8 to 14 per cent (3100-5500) and in the number of jobs of 10 to 20 per cent. Many of the new jobs will be on campus. WUR itself is predicted to grow considerably, but so are Born-Oost and Kortenoord Business Science Park.
