Rijksstraatweg
Rijksstraatweg or simply Straatweg (Steenweg in Belgium) was the term for paved roads of interregional significance in the Netherlands in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These roads were built by the national government, and formed the country's first centrally planned highway network. They received route numbers, eventually resulting in a nationwide network of 82 highways. It formed the basis for today's system of nationally controlled roads (called Rijkswegen), the Netherlands' main highway grid. The network was both inspired by, and an expansion of the network of imperial highways constructed by France during the era of Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte. In 1795 a new Dutch republic had been proclaimed with the armed support of the revolutionary French Republic. The country's rule was centralised, and French influence started getting ever stronger. In 1804 Napoleon became emperor of France, and between 1810 and 1813 the Netherlands was made a full part of the French Empire. During those years, construction of the French imperial highways was also extended to Holland. Amsterdam was connected to Paris by Route Impériale no. 2. The section between Amsterdam and Utrecht is today still a part of the A2 motorway.[1] The name Rijksstraatweg literally translates as "Imperial paved road", reflecting not only the French example, but also the Netherlands' own status, still being a colonial empire at that time.
After the independence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, paving of existing and construction of new interregional roads continued. The first plan for 26 national roads, had already been drawn up in 1814. By 1816 it had grown to 31, and to 42 in 1821. In this period, roads between towns were still mostly unpaved, and horse-drawn boats were still common, so this was a significant development. But costs had to be weighed. Paving was done predominantly in regions with a sufficient amount of industry, and tolls were charged. Important routes across the borders were also paved.
The numbering was based on geographical location, with its center in Amsterdam, where the highways 1-9 radiated into the country (see list below). Highway 10 connected Leiden with Haarlem, the numbers 11-14 were connected to The Hague, 15-21 to Rotterdam, 22-27 to Utrecht and so forth, up to number 82.
During the rise of steam train railways in the second half of the 19th century, the road network received much less attention, as national funding went largely into developing a solid rail infrastructure. However, when the automobile made its way to the general public, it became inevitable to improve the highway network for motorised traffic. In 1927 the first Rijkswegenplan was produced, the first Dutch national highway structure plan for a century; paving the way for the modern highway system that is still in place today. From that time on, the name Rijksweg was used in favour of the previous Rijksstraatweg.[2] Eventually the original system was almost completely absorbed into the Rijksweg network. The first Rijkswegenplan based its route numbers on the existing system, but these have been revised many times since.
So far the rijks(straat)weg numbers had been mostly administrative, and not displayed on signposts. At best they were indicated on kilometre poles and can still be found on old maps. In Leiden, an old pole is still situated along Straatweg 4 (Haagweg), signaling 16 km from The Hague. Signposting highway route numbers on road signs started in 1957, when the European E-road numbers and the complementing National N-road numbers were introduced in the Netherlands. But in 1976 it was decided to signpost the Rijksweg numbers instead, abolishing the N-road numbers, and also displaying them on roads with an E-number, in order to consistently cover the whole network.
The name 'Rijksstraatweg' or the suffix '-straatweg' is still often found on local street names, e.g. the Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht (part of Route 2).
Rijksstraatwegen
Radiating from Amsterdam
N0 Beltway around central Amsterdam[3] N1 Dam Square - Diemen - Muiden - Naarden - Bussum - Hilversum - Baarn - Amersfoort N2 Dam Square - Duivendrecht - Abcoude - Loenen - Breukelen - Maarssen - Zuilen - Utrecht N3 Dam Square - Amstelveen - Ter Aar - Gouda - Nieuwerkerk a/d IJssel - Kralingen - Rotterdam N4 Dam Square - Sloten - Haarlemmermeer - Leiden - Wassenaar - The Hague
N5 Dam Square - Halfweg - Haarlem - Bloemendaal - Zandvoort N6 Dam Square - Spaarndam - Velsen - Beverwijk - Castricum - Alkmaar - Den Helder N7 Dam Square - Zaandam - Wormerveer - Heerhugowaard - Langedijk - Schagen - Wieringen N8 Dam Square - Nieuwendam - Purmerend - Hoorn - Middenmeer - Wieringen - Wonseradeel N9 Dam Square - Zeeburg - Almere - Kampen - Zwolle
Originating in The Hague, Rotterdam or Utrecht
N10 Leiden - Sassenheim - Lisse - Haarlem - Velsen N11 The Hague - Voorschoten - Leiden - Alphen - Bodegraven - Woerden - De Meern - Utrecht N12 Scheveningen - Voorburg - Zoetermeer - Gouda - Oudewater - De Meern - Utrecht N13 The Hague - Delft - Overschie - Rotterdam N14 The Hague - Naaldwijk - Hook of Holland N15 Rotterdam - IJsselmonde - Ridderkerk - Gorinchem - Waardenburg - Geldermalsen - Tiel N16 Rotterdam - IJsselmonde - Dordrecht - Moerdijk - Breda - Zundert N17 Rotterdam - Barendrecht - Numansdorp - Willemstad - Steenbergen - Bergen op Zoom N18 Rotterdam - Charlois - Spijkenisse - Hellevoetsluis - Stellendam - Middelharnis N19 Hillegersberg - Rotterdam - Charlois - Pernis - Rozenburg - Hellevoetsluis N20 Rotterdam - Delfshaven - Schiedam - Vlaardingen - Hook of Holland N21 Rozenburg - Maassluis - Delft - Pijnacker - Zoetermeer N22 Utrecht - Maartensdijk - Hilversum - Huizen N23 Utrecht - De Bilt - Soest - Amersfoort N24 Utrecht - Zeist - Renswoude - Ede - Arnhem - Westervoort - Zevenaar - Elten N25 Utrecht - Bunnik - Doorn - Rhenen - Wageningen - Arnhem N26 Utrecht - Houten - Culemborg - Geldermalsen - Zaltbommel - Bois le Duc N27 Utrecht - Nieuwegein - Vianen - Gorinchem - Sleeuwijk - Oosterhout - Breda
Originating elsewhere
N28 Amersfoort - Nijkerk - Harderwijk - Wezep - Zwolle N29 Amersfoort - Voorthuizen - Apeldoorn N30 Nijkerk - Barneveld - Renswoude - Veenendaal - Rhenen N31 Leeuwarden - Franeker - Harlingen - Wonseradeel N32 Leeuwarden - Heerenveen - Steenwijk - Meppel - Zwolle N33 Assen - Veendam - Delfzijl N34 Groningen - Zuidlaren - Emmen - Coevorden - Avereest N35 Zwolle - Kampferbeke - Nijverdal - Almelo N36 Coevorden - Hardenberg - Almelo N37 Zwolle - Wijhe - Deventer N38 Oldebroek - Kampen - Emmeloord - Lemmer - Sneek - Wonseradeel N39 Groningen - Leek - Drachten - Heerenveen - Sneek N40 Groningen - Hoogezand - Winschoten - Nieuweschans N41 Leeuwarden - Buitenpost - Groningen - Appingedam - Delfzijl
N42 Groningen - Assen - Smilde - Meppel N43 Almelo - Borne - Hengelo - Enschede N44 Apeldoorn - Deventer - Goor - Hengelo - Oldenzaal N45 Raalte - Deventer - Gorssel - Zutphen N46 Assen - Hoogeveen - Coevorden N47 Zutphen - Ruurlo - Groenlo - Winterswijk N48 Twello - Rheden - Arnhem
N49 Zutphen - Voorst - Apeldoorn N50 Arnhem - Apeldoorn - Epe - Hattem N51 Rheden - Doesburg - Doetinchem - Winterswijk - Haaksbergen - Enschede N52 Arnhem - Elst - Nijmegen N53 Ubbergen - Nijmegen - Beuningen - Druten - Tiel - Geldermalsen N54 Bois le Duc - Waalwijk - Geertruidenberg - Zevenbergen - Willemstad N55 Bois le Duc - Rosmalen - Heesch - Grave - Nijmegen N56 Flushing - Middelburg - Kortgene - Sint Maartensdijk - Tholen - Bergen op Zoom N57 Westenschouwen - Brouwershaven - Zierikzee N58 Flushing - Middelburg - Goes - Kruiningen - Bergen op Zoom N59 Zierikzee - Bruinisse - Sint Philipsland - Steenbergen N60 Goes - Terneuzen - Axel - Hulst - Sint Jansteen N61 Terneuzen - IJzendijke - Oostburg - Sluis N62 Tilburg - Waalwijk - Drunen - Heusden - Woudrichem - Gorinchem N63 Bergen op Zoom - Roosendaal - Princenhage - Breda - Rijen - Tilburg - Oirschot - Best - Eindhoven N64 Bois le Duc - Vught - Boxtel - Best - Eindhoven N65 Vught - Helvoirt - Berkel Enschot - Tilburg - Goirle N66 Best - Sint Oedenrode - Veghel - Uden - Grave N67 Eindhoven - Veldhoven - Eersel - Reusel N68 Eindhoven - Geldrop - Heeze - Weert - Roermond N69 Eindhoven - Aalst - Valkenswaard - Borkel en Schaft N70 Eindhoven - Geldrop - Helmond - Asten - Helden - Venlo N71 Nijmegen - Gennep - Venlo N72 Venlo - Tegelen - Roermond N73 Grave - Cuijk - Boxmeer - Venraij - Maasbree - Haelen - Ittervoort N74 Roermond - Maasniel N75 Roermond - Echt - Sittard - Geleen - Maastricht N76 Sittard - Hoensbroek - Heerlen N77 Heerlen - Kerkrade N78 Maastricht - Heer - Margraten - Vaals N79 Maastricht - Meerssen - Valkenburg - Voerendaal - Heerlen N80 Maastricht - Heer - Eijsden N81 Maastricht - Oud Vroenhoven (southbound) N82 Maastricht - Oud Vroenhoven (northbound)
Modern additions (never signposted)
N83 Almere - Zeewolde - Dronten N84 Hoorn - Enkhuizen - Lelystad - Harderwijk N85 Purmerend - Almere (planned route into the discontinued Markerwaard polder) The numbers 86, 87 and 88 are vacant, while 89 to 100 were used for the National N-Road route numbers.
See also
Notes & References
- ↑ L.W. van der Veen, "Nederland in de Napoleontische tijd", in: 10.000 jaar Geschiedenis der Nederlanden, Leeuwarden 1985 (ch. 13).
- ↑ M. Schroor, "Naar het moderne Nederland", op cit. (ch. 16)
- ↑ Planned at a later date but was never realized. The current A10-motorway was based on the N0.
- ↑ "N345 (Nederland)". wegenwiki.nl.
Other sources
Part of this article is translated from the Dutch Wikipedia page on this topic, retrieved on 14 July 2014: Rijksstraatweg - Wikipedia.
It lists two (Dutch language) paper sources, but lacks inline citations:
- Blok, D.P. e.a. red. (1981), De Algemene Geschiedenis der Nederlanden, deel 10, Bussum: Unieboek
- Frankema, Ewout en Peter Groote, De modernisering van het Nederlandse wegennet. Nieuwe perspectieven op de ontwikkeling voor 1940, NEHA deel 65 (2002) 305-328