During 2000 the need arose to expand the current understanding and knowledge of rural distributor roads in the Netherlands with regard to the layout of especially 100km/h regional motorways and 80km/h rural distributor roads. This paper provides an overview of the road safety situation with respect to these roads. It discusses the experience with respect to various layout alternatives and gives a perspective on possible future solutions. The use of cable-barriers for directional separation is considered. Based on evaluations and a visit to Sweden, AVV has recommended that a pilot project in the Netherlands should be further explored. However, since the Netherlands has significantly more motorcyclists than does Sweden, it is anticipated that opposition to the cable-barrier will become a serious topic for discussion. This has already been evidenced in the Province of Overijssel where the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) reacted vehemently to the proposals for the N340, labelling the cable-barrier as criminal and likening it to an eggcutter. Consequently the matter of directional separation of traffic on such roads in Holland is presently being assessed and a decision in this regard is expected early in 2005. The 2+1 option is certainly seen as an innovative solution to situations where overtaking needs to be provided or where short to medium term traffic volumes do not justify the construction of a motorway with separate carriageways although this may be justified in the longer term. In the latter situation the 2+1 option offers the opportunity to introduce the eventual motorway using a phased approach. First one carriageway is constructed which in the short to medium term (10-15 years) operates as a 2+1 road (preferably with full grade separation) and then the second carriageway is constructed (with the added benefit that traffic need not be badly disrupted) and the road functions as a normal dual carriageway (motorway or freeway). For the covering abstract see ITRD E136183.
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