A1 motorway slip road closure sparks outrage over months-long delays

A closed slip road on the A1 motorway near Hengelo and Borne remains unrepaired, sparking frustration among local officials. The on-ramp was shut last week after frost damage, but Rijkswaterstaat may not begin work for months. Meanwhile, traffic jams and safety risks continue to grow in the region. The Twente Board has demanded urgent action from the Dutch Infrastructure Minister to fix the damaged A1 exit. In a letter, chair Ank Bijleveld called the delay unacceptable, despite Rijkswaterstaat's insistence that road safety remains its top concern. Regional authorities suspect the hold-up stems from budget shortages at the agency.

Frost damage has hit dozens of roads across the Netherlands in recent weeks. While the A2 exit near Abcoude reopened within a day after local pressure, the A1 slip road near Hengelo stays closed. The province of Utrecht and De Ronde Venen municipality pushed for faster repairs on the A2, but no such intervention has yet succeeded for the A1. Rijkswaterstaat faces a €1 billion shortfall, forcing it to choose which repairs to tackle first. The ongoing closure has led to daily traffic jams, dangerous conditions, and delays for emergency services in Twente.

The Twente Board's call for immediate repairs has so far gone unanswered. Without intervention, the A1 slip road near Hengelo and Borne could remain closed for months. Rijkswaterstaat's budget crisis means further delays are likely unless priorities shift.