Queen Máxima visited the infrastructure sector on the morning of September 2, 2025. During the visit, representatives from Rijkswaterstaat, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and market parties from the construction and infrastructure sector discussed circularity and sustainability with the Queen.
She also received an explanation on the use of circular concrete in the widening of the A9 Badhoevedorp-Holendrecht and attended a demonstration of circular asphalt laying with the Asphalt Recycling Train (ART).
On behalf of Rijkswaterstaat, Queen Máxima was welcomed at the information center InZicht in Amstelveen by Roger Mol, Chief Engineer Director of Sustainability and Living Environment and Chief Procurement Officer.
‘Today we show that to accelerate the circular transition in the sector and to achieve sustainable innovations, good collaboration between public clients and market parties is essential. Our goal is to gradually raise the bar in the entire sector, in which market parties can grow along with sustainable innovations.’
The sector aims to work climate-neutral and circular by 2030. This means that as much as possible raw materials are reused during the construction, replacement, maintenance, and renovation of infrastructure, and CO2 emissions are reduced.
Old concrete gets new life
Circularity and sustainability play a major role in the widening of the A9 Badhoevedorp-Holendrecht motorway. During the visit to the bridge over the Bullewijk, the reuse of concrete was central. About 300 of the harvested beams in the route are reused in other road construction projects, which reduces CO₂ emissions and saves raw materials. Recycled concrete is also used in the project.
Alexander Goes, technical advisor and discipline leader civil/concrete at Witteveen+Bos on the use of circular concrete in this project:
‘The remaining concrete that was released during the demolition of various bridges has been crushed, cleaned, and separated into different raw materials. In some parts of the underlay beams of the bridge over the Bullewijk, about 50% of the gravel and sand consists of recycled material. This approach is part of the pilot project concrete recycling, in which Rijkswaterstaat, together with partners, investigates how recycled materials can be optimally applied in new concrete.’
Rafael Huerga Fernández, project director of the contractor combination VeenIX, adds that the widening of the A9 Badhoevedorp-Holendrecht was originally only supposed to be energy-neutral, but due to the joint effort, the ambition has been raised, and the reuse of the beams and the application of circular concrete have been added to the scope.
Innovation for road maintenance
In Hilversum, Queen Máxima received a demonstration and explanation of the Asphalt Recycling Train (ART), a ‘train’ of machines that processes old asphalt on-site into a new road surface. This circular method saves the transport of asphalt and enables full reuse of materials. The ART is an innovative example of collaboration between public clients and market parties. This is crucial for the (further) development and scaling of this circular alternative to conventional asphalt laying.
Wendeline Besier, program director of Sustainability at Dura Vermeer Divisie Infra BV, and involved in the collaboration around the ART: ‘Future-proof infrastructure is only possible by working together as sector partners and continuing to innovate. This requires courage and perseverance. The ART is a beautiful example of this.’
‘There have been multiple trials throughout the country, and today we are here together with Rijkswaterstaat and fellow builder D. van der Steen, who has deployed the ART on behalf of the municipality of Hilversum. We share the knowledge gained with the entire industry, so that we can learn from the outcomes together. This is extremely important for the transition to circular construction and the movement we want to make as a sector, step by step.’
The working visit concluded with a discussion about the projects visited, sustainable infrastructure, and the ambition to work fully circular.