Frequently asked questions traffic and transportation

In many neighborhoods, parking pressure is perceived as a problem. In older neighborhoods, there is not always room for two or sometimes three cars for each family. Opsterland municipality prefers not to construct additional parking spaces. Extra parking spaces are often at the expense of greenery or playgrounds in the neighborhood. When a street needs major maintenance, we look again at the parking situation. We do this in consultation with the residents. Together we look at whether it is possible and desirable to expand the number of parking spaces. If major maintenance has already taken place or your street is not yet due for major maintenance. Then we apply the rule that if a parking space is available within a walking distance of 150 meters, no expansion of parking spaces is necessary.

The Opsterland municipality does not sell parking spaces.

• Residential neighborhoods
  We regularly receive requests for parking bans to stop parking on the roadway, or because of parking in front of an exit or on the sidewalk. The municipality's policy is not to institute parking and stop bans in residential neighborhoods. But also to place as few signs as possible in residential neighborhoods. Setting the measure is unlikely to change the situation. If you have to cross a few times with your vehicle to exit your driveway, the enforcer will not see this as an obstruction. In case of obstructive parking or blocking the road, we advise you to speak to the driver of the vehicle about his or her behavior. If this does not help, the next step is to contact enforcement or the police.
• At schools
  Requests for traffic measures around the school can be made by the school itself, or by a traffic parent of the school. Traffic unsafe situations which around the school are best reported to the school administration or to the school's traffic parent.

The Municipality of Opsterland does not establish blue zones or permit parking in residential areas.

Speeding, especially in residential areas, is usually caused by the residents themselves. Residents know the road with all its potholes and unevenness or, for example, delivery services. We have the ability to view the speed in your street via open data. If this data shows that people are driving too fast, we will monitor the speeds ourselves with a traffic count. This is done with the help of a so-called telradar. The telradar measures the speed of passing vehicles. To get the best possible results, the telradar will measure the data over a period of 2 weeks.

If the results show a constant exceeding of the speed limit. We review whether and what measures are necessary. The applicant will receive written notification of the results.
If these results show that there is no speeding, we take no action. We do pay extra attention to road design during major maintenance. Our basic principle is to only take speed measurements when there are well-founded reports of speeding.

Enforcement on speed is a power that lies solely with the police. You can contact the police directly for enforcement, at the general number 0900-8844.

The municipality only installs speed humps if it has been demonstrated that people drive (much) too fast structurally. And that it affects road safety (see speeding). When the neighborhood requests such a facility, it must be widely supported in the neighborhood because of the disadvantages such as vibration nuisance and noise pollution. We only install a threshold during major maintenance, sewer replacement or during road redesign.

Residents regularly ask for one-way streets because they are being driven too fast. On a one-way street, drivers actually speed up because no oncoming traffic is expected. Therefore, we do not implement this type of measure to reduce speed on a street. One-way streets are recommended only for narrower streets that present flow or traffic safety problems. Also only if there are good alternatives to continue via another road, the road. A prerequisite is that the measure is supported by the majority of the residents of the street in question.

The municipality divides the roads into categories using the national standards of Sustainable Safety. A distinction is made between urban and rural roads. Roads within the same category have the same layout and corresponding speed limits.

The maximum speed on residential access roads is 30 km per hour within built-up areas and 60 km per hour outside built-up areas.

For a busy road, which must ensure smooth traffic flow, the maximum speed limit is 50 or 70 km per hour within the built-up area and 80 km per hour outside the built-up area.

Virtually all speed cameras in the Netherlands are owned by the Public Prosecution Service (OM). The OM has evaluated all speed camera locations in recent years. One of the goals of the OM was to reduce the number of speed cameras. Therefore, the need for the speed camera was critically examined for each location. Municipalities could exert little influence on this.

After the evaluation, speed cameras were either removed or replaced with a digital speed camera.

The OM is very cautious about placing new speed cameras. Therefore, a speed camera is not placed just like that. It is determined after an analysis of traffic safety:

• How many accidents occurred; what kind, and what was the cause?
• What is the violation rate: how many people are speeding?
• Does the speed match the road?
• Can the layout of the road be changed to reduce speeding?
• Is it clear that a speed camera can reduce the number of accidents? Then the public prosecutor can decide to put up a speed camera. This is done in consultation with the police and the municipality.

No speed cameras are placed on 30-km/h roads by the OM.

Often the electric car replaces a gasoline car. So parking pressure does not increase. However, we do try to provide a customized solution when parking pressure is examined.

Often an electric vehicle also has a delivery time. So when someone has ordered an electric car they also immediately request a charging station. Also, a location for a charging station must meet all kinds of requirements. Therefore, it may happen that the charging station will not be in front of the applicant's door.

In residential areas, we do not place these signs because road users in residential areas can expect "children playing" on the road. Only at busy playgrounds and schools in residential areas, we sometimes place this sign. Depending on the situation

It is not possible to "just" place a (residential) yard sign at the beginning of a residential street / residential area.

A residential yard is a street where the emphasis is very much on the residential function: living, playing, walking, and so on. Parking in a yard can only be done in parking spaces marked with a P. Outside these spaces, parking is prohibited. All residential areas are or will be designed as 30-km zones where'Sustainable Safety' is the starting point. This is an initiative of the various Dutch governments to increase road traffic safety by focusing on accident prevention.

An under sign excluding destination traffic is not enforceable. Judges have ruled on this. Therefore, the police do not fine on this. Enforcement of this prohibition is not a competence of the municipality, but of the police. In addition, the municipality's goal is to achieve a clear system of traffic signs. The right signs in the right place. Without unnecessary references. The municipality strives to place as few signs as possible. As long as this does not create legal and incorrect traffic situations.

In a 30 km/zone all traffic is equal, this means that the right has priority. By not regulating priority separately, the traffic situation is clearer for road users because the same rule applies everywhere (including nationwide). This is an improvement for traffic safety. An exception to this rule are intersections of district roads with bike paths that belong to the main bicycle structure. These types of bicycle lanes are handled in the right of way and are made visible on the street with signs and markings.

Within a 30-km zone, we prefer not to construct a crosswalk. This is because a pedestrian crossing can create false safety. A crosswalk is only constructed near schools in very exceptional cases.

Sometimes there is sight-obstructing vegetation. In general, in a 30-km zone, visibility is only obstructed if the vegetation is close to the edge of the roadway and is so high that traffic (from a vehicle) cannot see over it. If the vegetation is well away from the roadway, then there is generally sufficient opportunity, possibly at an appropriate speed, to drive up to the intersection and thus gain visibility of intersecting traffic.

At higher speeds (e.g., 50 km), sight obstruction may occur earlier. Whether there is sight-obstructing vegetation is assessed by the municipality's traffic engineer. If there is sight-obstructing vegetation, the owner of the vegetation is obliged to prune or possibly remove it.

If a wall of a barn, for example, creates an obstruction to visibility, then traffic should adapt its behavior to this situation. The municipality does not usually take action in such cases.

We prefer not to install mirrors. A mirror can give false security. You can never be sure if a driver sees traffic on the intersecting road in the mirror. Also, a mirror can provide a distorted view, making it difficult to judge the speed of approaching traffic. Traffic mirrors are also not usable in every type of weather. Also, mirrors are prone to vandalism. Only in very exceptional cases when there is no visibility at all may a traffic mirror be installed with the permission of the municipality. The cost of installation and maintenance is then the responsibility of the applicant.

It may happen that you feel vibrations from passing traffic. If you feel that you have been damaged by vibrations, you can file a complaint. In the municipality of Opsterland, some houses are on peat and/or close to the road. As a result, you may feel vibrations from passing traffic.

This does not have to lead to damage. If you think it does, you should have a specialized structural expert draw up a report proving that the damage was caused by road traffic. You can submit this report, together with your complaint in writing to the municipal authorities.

Every street must be able to accommodate truck traffic. For example, to pick up garbage, move or deliver ordered items. A prohibition limits the accessibility of your home and your neighbors' homes. An under sign with 'excepted destination traffic' is therefore not possible.