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On the dutch National news:

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Road Naarden Lake (A6/A9) canceled,

The new highway beside the Naarden Lake has been canceled. After the PvdA (socialist) now also the VVD (conservative Liberals) is against the road beside the natural area, that must end the traffic jam between Amsterdam and Almere. The VVD now wants a bridge between Amsterdam North and Almere.

The VVD a long time promoter of the highway says they have listened to criticism to the A6-A9 scenario. In the past months a lot of environmental organizations, local communities, local government and dutch celebrities protested the assault on the “Naarden” lake.

Adjustments to protect nature, like a 8 kilometer long tunnel, might cost € 4 billion. Also the VVD finds that to expensive.

“Live has it ways” member of dutch parliament Hofstra explains the change of opinion from the VVD. “Despite adjustments protest remained, also from our supporters. You have to listen to that. It is the oldest protected natural area in the Netherlands.”

Next to the PvdA also D66 (liberals), Groen Links (Green party) and the Socialist party have stated to be against the highway that connects highway A6 near Muiderberg with Highway A9 near Holendrecht. “I think that the chance is zero that the Highway will be really built” says Hofstra. The government has postponed the decision, because all kinds of alternatives have to be recalculated.

One of the most important alternatives is the widening and deepening of the “Gaasperdammer” road south east from Amsterdam. The A1 highway would then be widened with 12 lanes and the A9 highway with 9 lanes. Disadvantage is that the highway crosses a living area where 25.000 humans live.
The widening of the road would also cost € 4 billion. Hofstra: “You should also not do that, you would have to pay that much money for a road crossing a city neighborhood.”

The VVD now wants the € 4 billion to be used for the so called “ÏJ Lake connection”. A bridge that would connect Amsterdam with Almere, the city that with a planned construction of at least 45.000 homes until 2020 will grow out to be the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. Hofstra says the plan “has a large chance to succeed”, because the bridge is meant for cars as well as public transport.

“I am thinking about the Golden Gate Bridge”, says Hofstra referencing one of the longest bridges in the world in San Fransisco. “On one floor trains and on the other floor cars”. The VVD thinks that a renowned architect should design the bridge”.

The VVD hopes that the majority of parliament will back the plan, so that the next government can take a decision fast. “Because off course something got to happen fast”. The PvdA reacts positive. The CDA (Conservative Christian Democrats) thinks it is to early to make a choice, because not all alternatives have been studied.