Major highway closures cause severe delays on Dutch ‘Black Saturday’”

Saturday marks one of the busiest travel days of the summer in the Netherlands, known as “Black Saturday” — a term used to describe the extreme traffic congestion caused by a mass exodus of vacationers on the roads. This year, heavy traffic is compounded by several major highway closures, causing significant delays across the country.

The ANWB confirmed the A10 westbound near Zaanstad, close to the Coentunnel, will remain closed until September 15 for maintenance work. The A27 between Breda and Utrecht is closed between the Gorinchem and Everdingen interchanges until 10 p.m. on August 4.

The A17 near the De Stok interchange will stay closed until August 3, while the A58 between the De Stok and Princeville interchanges will remain shut until August 4.

Drivers are advised to prepare for delays and monitor live traffic updates before heading out. The peak of “Black Saturday” congestion is forecasted around 12:30 p.m.

These closures come amid a surge in vacation travel, intensifying congestion on key routes to popular destinations. Additional traffic pressure is expected near Amsterdam and Roermond due to the Canal Parade and Festival Solar events drawing large crowds.