Future layout Maagdendries
Traffic flow on the Maagdendries
Update April 2023
In recent years, a lot of work has been carried out around the Maagdendries. Roads have been re-routed for the new Noorderbrug route and the new district Lindenkruis has been built where the headquarters of the city bus and utility companies once stood. Opposite Lindenkruis, the construction of new flats and houses for Sphinx-Zuid is expected to continue until the end of 2023. Still, it is about time to look ahead: when will the Maagdendries be renovated and what does this mean for the traffic flow?
Maagdendries in the present
The road and construction works of the past years have left their mark on the Maagdendries. Not only because of the heavy construction traffic, but also because of the installation of cables and pipelines. The asphalt and layout are in need of reconstruction, but that will take some time. First, the construction work at Sphinx-Zuid must be fully completed. That is expected to be early 2024, when the last new houses behind bowling centre Olround have been completed and the construction traffic has cleared.
Maagdendries in the future
Maagdendries is expected to receive a new layout in early 2024. Together with a delegation of residents around the Maagdendries, a process is undertaken to investigate the best design for the street. Traffic alderman John Aarts also inspected the situation on site with some residents.
A little more time needed
The various variants are currently being reviewed and examined for viability. This process and weighing up the pros and cons of the different variants has taken more time than expected but is now nearing completion. We expect to finish the study before summer 2023 and will then organise a broad walk-in meeting for the neighbourhood to explain the preferred variant.
OV axis stays
Good to know: the street will remain part of the OV axis. This means that city buses will continue to drive to and from Boschstraat via Maagdendries. However, thanks to current developments at Sappi-Zuidwest, in time a considerable amount of through car traffic will disappear from Maagdendries and in a few years' time almost only local traffic will make use of the street.
Extending the Maasboulevard
Belvédère WOM B.V. / municipality of Maastricht have bought the southwestern part of the Sappi site. This site, opposite Lumière, is currently the parking lot of Sappi employees. The purchase of this site makes it possible, among other things, to extend the Maasboulevard to the Boschstraat/Frontensingel intersection (near the Muziekgieterij). This will remove a significant amount of car traffic from the Boschstraat and Maagdendries, leaving almost only buses and local traffic. That is expected to be some time around 2024-2025.
New design Maagdendries
The impact of the Maasboulevard extension is being calculated by traffic experts. The results will be taken into account in the new design of the Maagdendries.
Maagdendries in the meantime
Residents currently experience frequent inconvenience from buses and speeding cars on the Maagdendries. In order to provide pedestrians with a safe crossing and to reduce the speed of car traffic, a new zebra crossing is installed at the Andriespoort. On Tuesday, 11 May, the city of Maastricht will place concrete road blocks on the bus lane between Achter de Barakken and the exits of the Lindenkruis and Sphinxtuin car parks. This will narrow the Maagdendries, so that drivers will adjust their speed sooner.
Questions?
Do you have any questions? Please contact the Belvédère Information Centre. We are more than happy to help.