Council of State blocks Utrecht highway widening plans

Plans by the Dutch government to widen the A27 motorway, A12 motorway, and A28 motorway around Utrecht have been struck down by the Council of State. The court had previously ordered the Cabinet to provide a clearer justification of the project’s nitrogen emissions, but the revised explanation proved insufficient. The ruling means the highway widening project will not go ahead.

The expansion of the A27 motorway near Amelisweerd sparked significant public debate. Concerns centered on the removal of tree-lined areas, prompting protests. In response, the Utrecht region put forward an alternative plan.

The coalition government of D66, VVD, and CDA has dropped the highway widening plan. However, the broader Utrecht ring project still involved other measures at interchanges such as Rijnsweerd interchange and Lunetten interchange, aiming to enhance traffic flow and safety. The plan also included new noise barriers to mitigate sound disturbances.

The government intended to offset the project’s nitrogen emissions on sensitive natural areas by using nitrogen permits from farms. The approach of balancing one source of nitrogen against another has yet to be adequately justified, according to the Council of State.

Offsetting nitrogen was not the only way to allow the project to proceed, the Council of State reminded the government. An interim ruling from last year had already indicated that extra environmental measures could also compensate for the emissions. "The minister has not taken advantage of this possibility," the court wrote.