On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the area around the A16 Rotterdam focused on connection, meeting, and renewed nature experiences. During a festive opening of the recreation area, residents met each other around the Expo A16 Rotterdam in the Lage Bergse Bos in Bergschenhoek.
Connection
A successful Neighborhood Day A16 Rotterdam connects residents with the renewed environment.
Councilor Michiel Muis of Lansingerland and councilor Pascal Lansink Bastemeijer of Rotterdam performed the official opening, after which the neighbors of the A16 Rotterdam could explore the new walking, cycling, and riding paths.
The Neighborhood Day marked a special moment: after years of construction, various recreational facilities around the A16 Rotterdam are ready for use. With this day and the opening of the recreation area, Rijkswaterstaat, together with the construction consortium De Groene Boog, wanted to thank the local community for their patience and involvement during the construction of the A16 Rotterdam.
A Recreational Landscape
Councilor Muis: ‘The connection between Rotterdam and Lansingerland is literally and figuratively taking shape here: a recreational landscape that brings together cities, people, and nature. What has been achieved here in recent years shows how spatial development and quality of life can go hand in hand, with room to move, relax, and rediscover this beautiful landscape. Given all the spatial and infrastructural challenges, that has been quite an achievement.’
From 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, residents could enjoy a varied program. Visitors got a special preview of the nearly completed recreation bridge, which connects the Schiebroeksepark with nature reserve De Vlinderstrik. It is a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians with crossing points for animals on both sides. Visitors could also discover the green transformation of this area under the guidance of a forest ranger. For those who wanted to experience the area from the water, there were boat trips on the Rotte. Children enjoyed a treasure hunt, a sand mountain full of toys, bouncy castles, and pony rides at Horsecenter Pirouette.
More than just a highway
Councilor Lansink-Bastemeijer: ‘It is wonderful to see how nature and accessibility come together here. Thanks to the efforts of Rijkswaterstaat, the municipality of Lansingerland, and all other involved partners, people from Rotterdam and the region can enjoy the greenery without disturbance, while the highway is hardly visible or audible. That was exactly our joint goal – and it is great that we have achieved that together.’
The Neighborhood Day not only provided a preview of the renewed outdoor space but also of the idea behind the project: the A16 Rotterdam is more than just a highway. The road has been carefully integrated into the landscape, with attention to livability, nature, and sustainability. Rijkswaterstaat and De Groene Boog look back proudly on this successful day. The turnout, the enthusiastic responses, and the sense of community among local residents show that the A16 Rotterdam not only improves accessibility but also contributes to the quality of the living environment.
About the A16 Rotterdam
The A16 Rotterdam is the first energy-neutral highway with a tunnel in the Netherlands. The road connects the Terbregseplein (A16/A20) with the A13 at Rotterdam The Hague Airport and will be opened for traffic in October 2025. With a length of 11 kilometers, of which 2.2 kilometers are tunnel through the Lage Bergse Bos, the A16 ensures smoother traffic flow, less detour traffic, and a better living environment.
Director Floortje Hanneman: ‘The government and the region have made agreements to realize various initiatives that add recreational value to this area. And although recreational elements are not new in Rijkswaterstaat projects, the extent to which we add recreational value at the A16 Rotterdam is unique.’