Rijkswaterstaat extends nationwide heat measures, postpones A12 roadworks

Rijkswaterstaat has extended its heatwave measures nationwide for Wednesday and Thursday, according to a spokesperson. The protocol had already been activated in six provinces on Tuesday. As part of the arrangement, motorists who break down on roads under the agency's management will be moved promptly to safe locations offering basic amenities, including service stations and parking areas.

The measures apply to most Dutch motorways as well as several major regional roads. The aim of the heat protocol is to reduce the time stranded drivers spend waiting in extreme heat, particularly on exposed stretches of hot road surface.

Current road temperatures can be monitored on the Rijkswaterstaat website, which uses sensors installed in and around the road surface. By early Wednesday morning, readings at several locations had already surpassed 30 degrees Celsius. When outdoor temperatures rise sharply, the asphalt itself can heat up to more than 50 degrees Celsius.

The KNMI has placed much of the central and southern Netherlands under a code orange alert for extreme heat from midday Wednesday through at least Friday. Forecasters expect temperatures to reach 33 to 37 degrees Celsius over the next two days, with conditions likely to become even more severe on Friday.

Planned weekend roadworks on the A12 east of Utrecht have been called off due to the forecast high temperatures. The stretch between the Lunetten interchange and the Veenendaal-West exit had been due to close from Friday through Monday, but the project has now been postponed until a later date.

Rijkswaterstaat said the forecast heat would make it impossible to ensure safe working conditions for road crews. Workers would face not only extreme temperatures but also additional heat generated by the road surface and heavy machinery.

Construction company BAM added that simply increasing break times is not practical, as asphalt paving must be carried out without interruption and within a strict timeframe.

The postponed maintenance is expected to take place between September 11 and 14. Rijkswaterstaat had previously designated that weekend as a backup period in case the original schedule could not go ahead.