Provincial Zoning Integration Plan for a Safer Norgervaart (N373)

To improve traffic safety, the Province of Drenthe wants to alter several intersections along the N373. The Norgervaart is known as a dangerous roadway in the region, where cars drive relatively fast and pose a hazard to crossing cyclists. In addition to safety, traffic flow and liveability around the N373 were also problematic - reason enough for the Province of Drenthe to rethink the provincial road’s layout.

The envisioned construction works, however, conflicted with the applicable zoning plan. To enable the works to go ahead, it was decided - in consultation with the municipalities of Midden-Drenthe, Assen and Noordenveld - to draft a Provincial Zoning Integration Plan. Such a plan allows a province or the national government to alter a municipality’s zoning plan.

In collaboration with BügelHajema from Assen, Witteveen+Bos drafted the Provincial Zoning Integration Plan and conducted all necessary environmental and area studies to support it. These included studies on traffic, ecology, archaeology and cultural history, noise, air quality, soil, cables and pipes, water, external safety, and unexploded ordnance, and also involved drafting a free-form environmental impact assessment.

Work on the N373 is expected to start in 2022.