A 20-kilometre cycle route between the Dutch cities of Amersfoort and Utrecht is on the cards after city municipalities reach an agreement about provisional designs.
Over the next two years, existing cycle paths will be widened and paved, and then linked together to create a high-quality system of bike paths between the two cities. Once the construction work is complete, a journey between Utrecht and Amersfoort will take only one hour by bike.
The cost of construction will total around 11,2 million euros. The Dutch government has contributed 1,5 million euros, the municipality of Utrecht will contribute 2,4 million, and the Province of Utrecht will contribute the remaining 7,3 million euros.
The route will run via De Bilt, Zeist, and Soest, and the municipality of Utrecht hopes to have it completed by 2022.
According to the municipality of Utrecht, an express-route like this will make cycling a viable alternative to driving. By making the cycle route safer and quicker, more families and commuters will be able to leave their cars at home, and instead take the bike for longer trips. Not only will this reduce road traffic, but it will also benefit the environment.
As well as this direct route, three additional fast cycling routes are planned. These would lead from Utrecht to Ijsselstein, Veenendaal, and to Woerden. However, it is not yet known when construction will start on these routes.
Utrecht’s plans to develop as a city that champions cycling come shortly after the city was announced as the best cycling city in the world, triumphing over the Dutch capital.