Three-week closure begins on A27 near Meerkerk to widen congested highway
The A27 highway near Meerkerk will be partially closed for three weeks starting Friday evening, July 25, as Rijkswaterstaat launches a large-scale project to expand the road, RTV Utrecht reports. This section of the highway, stretching 47 kilometers from Houten to the Noord-Brabant junction at Hooipolder, frequently ranks among the most congested in the Netherlands, especially around Meerkerk. The widening aims to add extra lanes to reduce traffic jams.
Environmental manager Michael Blatter of Rijkswaterstaat described the upcoming work as “a huge task” in an interview with RTV Utrecht, involving more than 100 workers and heavy machinery operating day and night. The closure will disrupt traffic between Utrecht and the south, with sections fully closed in both directions at different times from July 25 to August 13.
At the start, from 10 p.m. on July 25 until 10 p.m. on August 1, the A27 will be closed southbound toward Utrecht between the Gorinchem and Everdingen junctions. Following that, from August 1 until early August 4, the highway will close in both directions between those same junctions. The final phase will close the A27 northbound toward Breda between Everdingen and Gorinchem from early August 4 until August 13.
The project involves more than just adding lanes. Viaducts spanning the A27 will be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the wider road, since any increase in the road’s width requires corresponding upgrades to these structures. Water management is also reportedly critical in this area because the nature reserve near Meerkerk contains numerous ditches and larger watercourses that currently run through large pipes beneath the highway.
Additionally, the construction will include strengthening the road’s subsoil and performing maintenance tasks like mowing and cleaning while the highway is closed. Motorists will also notice new signage installed in the coming weeks.
The timing of the closure was reportedly carefully chosen to coincide with the summer holiday period when traffic volumes tend to be lower. However, Blatter acknowledges that closing such an important traffic artery for three weeks is significant. “We could have spread the work over ten weekends, but that would have caused even more disruption,” he told RTV Utrecht.
Rijkswaterstaat expects delays of 30 to 60 minutes during the closures, warning that drivers should prepare for longer travel times due to detours that require significant rerouting. For example, motorists traveling from Utrecht to Breda will need to take a substantial detour via Den Bosch or Rotterdam.
Traffic on alternative roads such as the A12 is likely to increase, especially during the early days of the closure as drivers adjust. Blatter noted the unpredictability of holiday traffic flows, pointing out that “you don’t know if a sudden influx of German tourists will hit the Dutch coast.”
Rijkswaterstaat recommends using alternative highways like the A2 and A15, as well as secondary routes including the A12, A20, and A16, to avoid the worst congestion. Motorists are advised to avoid relying solely on navigation apps like Google Maps, which have in the past routed drivers through narrow local streets, causing unexpected backups. “We have requested navigation systems to recommend official detours, but we can’t control whether or not they do,” Blatter told RTV Utrecht.
Drivers are advised to avoid the affected sections if possible or use alternative transportation. Those who must drive should consult Rijkswaterstaat’s traffic information or the Van A naar Beter website before setting out.
“If you get stuck in traffic this summer, remember there are 100 people working day and night to widen this road. Maybe that makes the wait a little easier,” Blatter told RTV Utrecht.
