Zuidasdok Routing Decision changes open for consultation

The Zuidasdok Routing Decision was approved on 18 March 2016. This kind of decision makes new infrastructure or changes to existing infrastructure possible. In the case of the Zuidasdok Routing Decision, this involves widening the A10 Zuid (from 4 to 6 lanes in each direction), making modifications to the De Nieuwe Meer and Amstel interchanges and diverting the A10 Zuid underground in the central area of Zuidas. The Zuidasdok Routing Decision also stipulates which bridges, viaducts and underpasses will be built or modified.

Why the change is needed

Some of the planned adaptations to the A10 can be done more safely. Additional measures are also required that could not have been known about in March 2016. The changes to the original Zuidasdok Routing Decision have been laid out in an official document, the Dutch title of which is: ‘Ontwerptracébesluit Zuidasdok (wijziging 2022)’. Changes are often made to routing decisions in the case of major infrastructure projects as the details of the plans gradually become clearer.

What will change?

The official document describes all the changes relative to the Routing Decision of 2016, of which there are 26 in total. They include the addition of extra hard shoulders, for example. Changes will also be made to the waterway next to the Schinkelbrug bridge. Five changes are described briefly below.

Tunnel mouths

Surveys have shown that the groundwater levels for the tunnel in the southern lane of the A10 Zuid (in the direction of Amstel interchange) are higher than previously thought. In order to prevent flooding in the tunnel, the open ends of the tunnel need to be extended further.

S108 access road

Waterway safety

Waiting facilities and a guide system for inland shipping to the south of Schinkelbrug bridge will be moved. These changes are needed for waterway safety.

Ouderkerkerdijk: priority for cyclists

Part of the Ouderkerkerdijk is located within the Zuidasdok routing area. The original Routing Decision included an access road and a free-standing cycle lane, just like it is now. However, to achieve that, a watercourse needed to be made narrower. It now turns out that there are so many essential cables and pipelines in the ground here that the original plan is no longer feasible. Instead of that, the new document opts to make this section of Ouderkerkerdijk into a bicycle road, where bikes have priority and cars are ‘guests only’. Thanks to this, the watercourse will not need to be made narrower.

Earth-retaining structures

Because the A10 Zuid is higher than the area around it, structures are needed to compensate for the difference in height. From a landscape perspective, embankments are preferable, because they can be planted up and the costs are relatively low. However, embankments take up quite a lot of space. As the design has been developed further, it turns out that there is not always room for them. This calls for alternative solutions for holding back the earth, such as a sheet pile wall. The amending decision explicitly states that earth-retaining structures can be built in cases where there is no other solution. However, the exterior of any earth-retaining structure must be planted.

Open for consultation

You can view all of the Dutch documentation for the Ontwerptracébesluit Zuidasdok (wijziging 2022) digitally from 30 November 2022. It is also possible to consult a paper version, for example at the Amsterdam Zuidas Information Centre. You can make your opinion known about the amending decision in the period from Wednesday, 30 November 2022 until Tuesday, 10 January 2023. The Routing Decision for Zuidasdok and the amendments to it will be incorporated in a zoning plan. The draft zoning plan will also be made available for consultation in the weeks ahead. When that happens, we will let you know where you can view the document and how you can submit your opinion on it.