The Centrum district wants the Spuistraat and the Haarlemmerdijk and -straat to be permanently car-free. On the Spuistraat this means that cyclists will remain on the road and the sidewalk will be widened for pedestrians. Cars and scooters are definitely no longer welcome on the Haarlemmerdijk and Street. The plans will be presented to the city district committee on Tuesday.
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In the summer of 2020, the streets were temporarily made car-free by the municipality. Since people had to be able to keep one and a half meters away due to corona, busy streets in the city were redesigned: cars as guests, cyclists on the road and pedestrians on the sidewalk and the bicycle path. The district now aspires to make the measures permanent.
Spuistraat
According to the district, the cycle path on the busy Spuistraat causes many conflicts between fast bicycle traffic and pedestrians. It would also often be illegal to cycle against the direction of travel, which leads to collisions between cyclists. “In the neighbourhood, the busier cycle path is no longer perceived as positive for the quality of life,” reads a document from the district about the redevelopment.
To make the temporary measures permanent, it is suggested to remove the cycle path and create more space for pedestrians. The car will be a guest on the roadway, which will be made clear with markings and signage. “The traffic measures on the car network in recent years have drastically reduced the number of cars in the street, making moving the bicycle to the roadway a realistic option,” according to the district council.
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The Haarlemmerdijk and -straat were also redesigned in the summer of 2020 to guarantee the one and a half meters away for pedestrians and cyclists. One-way traffic was introduced for pedestrians and parking spaces were removed to make room for terraces and bicycle parking.
Cars and scooters were also no longer allowed on the street. Cars are only allowed on the street between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to load and unload. “By taking measures in various busy places in the city, we ensure that everyone in Amsterdam can enjoy the summer as safely as possible,” said then alderman for Traffic and Transport Sharon Dijksma.
Residents disagreed and went to court. However, the municipality ruled in its favor: the road may remain car-free as long as necessary to guarantee the corona measures. Now, almost a year later, a survey of the district among local residents and entrepreneurs shows that a majority are positive about the car-free measures. Of the 135 residents of the Haarlemmerdijk and -straat, 77 percent voted in favour, compared to 60 percent among entrepreneurs.
To finalize the measures in the street, the district council proposes to install retractable posts. The current loading and unloading times are then extended.
The plans will be discussed in the city district committee on Tuesday.
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