The View on the Spatial Quality of National Roads discusses the spatial quality of the road network managed by Rijkswaterstaat. This guide offers inspiration and tools for work on national roads and serves as the starting point for the spatial storyline for Rijkswaterstaat projects, including road widening, renewal tasks, maintenance tasks, and new constructions.
Projects are responsible for applying the design considerations and core qualities outlined in this guide, answering questions about:
- the concept behind the current integration approach;
- the design tools used;
- the method of development and the resulting core qualities;
- future tasks.
Why an update?
The previous View on the Spatial Quality of Highways from 2013 was outdated and needed to be updated. Many national road projects completed after 2013 were naturally not included in this View. Additionally, only the A-roads were included, not the N-roads managed by Rijkswaterstaat. Finally, relevant thematic topics that closely relate to spatial quality, such as biodiversity, energy transition, and management, were missing.
Who is the new guide for?
For everyone working on Rijkswaterstaat projects with a spatial impact. This includes project management at Rijkswaterstaat, relevant advisors, and design and engineering firms from the market.
An update within the existing setup
The new View is an update of the previous version. The choice was explicitly made to use the setup and layout of the previous guide. The View consists of 3 separate parts:
- Part I is dedicated to vision, methodology, and themes;
- Part II describes the A-roads at route and section level, including core qualities and tasks;
- Part III covers the N-roads in the same way as the A-roads.
Part I
The first part focuses on general principles, methodology, and the vision on spatial quality. The methodology describes how spatial quality is considered in relation to national roads, addressing road types, scale levels (network, route, section), and integration tasks. The vision on spatial quality describes four pillars:
- recognizability, contrasts, and identity
- calm, coherence, and continuity
- sustainable and circular
- dynamic environment: bilateral area task
Finally, Part I also offers a compilation of thematic topics, highlighting current and defining tasks and developments around national roads. Each essay addresses a specific task from the perspective of spatial quality and makes recommendations.
Part II
In total, 39 A-roads are included in Part II. The A-roads are extensively described at both route and section levels. Each routes binding identity or distinguishing quality is documented. A brief explanatory text describes the main qualities and tasks, which are then summarized concisely. At section level, spatial core qualities are further described.
Maps are included for routes and sections to illustrate the texts, showing which landscapes the road traverses. A cross-section shows the characteristic cross-profile, including the number of lanes, the height relative to the landscape, and the connection with the environment. Photos are also included from the perspective of the road user and birds-eye views showing the characteristic integration of the route or section.
Part III
This part describes 22 N-roads in the same manner as the A-roads. The texts are also supported by maps, cross-sections, and beautiful photos.
On November 11, 2024, Martin Wijnen, Director-General of Rijkswaterstaat, received a copy. During this festive moment, he labeled the View as a monumental standard work. He emphasized that as the largest land user in the Netherlands, Rijkswaterstaat must use space wisely.
Want to know more?
If we have piqued your interest and you would like to know more, please contact us via our contact form. It is also possible to order a copy through the contact form. Note: available while stocks last!