Over 20,000 people walk on new Groningen ring road

Over 20,000 people walked on the newly reconstructed Groningen ring road on Saturday. Additional ramps and exits were opened for those interested, and queues formed at the entrances and exits. A spokeswoman for the project "Aanpak Ring Zuid" described the day as a success and said everything went smoothly. This was a one-off opportunity to walk on a ring road without cars.

Vandaag doen wij in Groningen aan #Ringlopen
De zuidelijke ringweg is na 7 jaar omleidingen, drukte, files en alles wat erbij hoort klaar. De ringweg ligt nu grotendeels ondergronds, daarboven wordt nog een park aangelegd. 't kon minder😊👌 #GroningenBereikbaar #RingZuid pic.twitter.com/fiaGs4xEpT

— Inez_vd_B🌸🐝🌳🌿🧡 (@Zenbur04) August 31, 2024

The first residents were ready to walk on the new road at 10 a.m. "It's great. It feels just like the car-free Sunday of the past. It's a special feeling, and it's great that it's finished," a woman told RTV Noord.

Those interested could walk on the renovated road, from Julianaplein to Europaweg, until Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.

From Saturday evening, the entire Julianaplein and the southern ring road from Vrijheidsplein to Euvelgunne interchange were closed for 24 hours. The Meerstad entrance in the direction of the A7 was also closed for a day. In several places, the signage and markings will have to be adjusted, and the tape will have to be removed from the blue signs.

The last day of the reconstruction of the south ring road is a great relief for the residents of Groningen. Not only will they have a more efficient route into the city, but also some peace and quiet, at least for the residents who had to live near the south ring road and, therefore, in front of a construction site for a long time. "I'm fed up with the inconvenience and glad it's over," a woman who lives near the new road told RTV Noord. "Especially the detour and the western ring road was always so busy. I'm glad I can drive to work normally again."

Work on the southern ring road has been ongoing for a long time. The new southern ring road will be officially inaugurated on Sunday evening. From 8 p.m., the new southern ring road will be opened to car traffic step by step, the project team reports.