Worst traffic jam ever expected on A12 today; Already 40 minutes of delay

Road works on the A12 highway from The Hague to Utrecht are expected to cause massive traffic problems on Monday. By 7:57 a.m. the ANWB already reported over 40 minutes of delay, with still-standing traffic backed up for 13 kilometers.

The Rijkswaterstaat is doing major maintenance on the road surface of the A12 between Nieuwerbrug and the Oudenrijn junction on the route from The Hague to Utrecht. Two of the four lanes toward Utrecht are closed between Nieuwerbrug and De Meern this week.

“Normally, this road is already very busy, but now, with the closures and the halved capacity on weekdays during the day, the traffic jams can reach as far as The Hague,” The public works department said over the weekend. Rijkswaterstaat urged motorists to work from home or commute using public transport or the bicycle. “Road users who still have to take to the roads are well advised to use the navigation system to find the best detour routes. However, the detour routes will also be very busy.”

The travelers’ organization ANWB also warned road users to expect significant delays. “The A12 is one of the busiest highways in the country,” said the ANWB. “We advise people to pay attention to the traffic information and plan an alternative route in good time if necessary.”

The rest of the country is expected to experience an average morning rush hour, with traffic building up at the usual points. The ANWB warned that roadworks may also cause some extra delays on the A7 between Hoorn and Zaanstad. At 7:57 a.m., the ANWB reported 80 traffic jams covering 379 kilometers of Dutch roads.