Council of State rules that the A15 motorway in the Arnhem region can be extended  

The A12/A15 route decision, or the ViA15 project, is final. The Council of State ruled on Wednesday that the A15 motorway in the Arnhem region may be extended. The A12 and A15 may also be widened. This final ruling puts an end to a protracted legal procedure. After seven years, the route decision is final.

In the project, the piece of A15 from Bemmel will be extended to Zevenaar, and the A12 and A15 will be widened. The government wants to combat traffic jams this way and also thinks it is vital that there is a direct connection between Rotterdam and Germany.

However, the new road goes through protected nature areas, which leads to an increase in nitrogen deposition. Nature and environmental organizations opposed these plans. Previous objections to the nitrogen research carried out also existed, but the highest administrative court declared these unfounded.

The project has been on the Council of State's desk since 2017, and there have been three Interlocutory orders, including new nitrogen calculations. In March of this year, the Council of State felt the decision was not entirely in order yet. The Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management had to provide additional information about the plan to use the nitrogen space of six farms that will close for the construction project (external balancing).

De Vereniging Natuur en Milieufederatie Gelderland, the Association Nature and Environment Federation Gelderland, objected to this.

On Wednesday, the Council of State ruled that the minister's additional justification is "adequate." "The additional substantiation shows that nitrogen deposition in the areas has decreased and will continue to decrease in the period up to 2030", the ruling states and that was a condition for that external balancing.