Netherlands delays highway work on A44 and A27 because of extreme heat

Rijkswaterstaat announced that high temperatures, forecast to reach 60 °C, have forced it to postpone scheduled maintenance on several Dutch motorways. Work on the A44 south of Amsterdam, including the replacement of the 90‑year‑old Lisserweg viaduct, has been extended by two days, keeping the section between Noordwijkerhout and Burgerveen closed until the morning of July 3. The delay has increased congestion on the A4, the main diversion route, with peak‑hour travel times lengthened by about an hour.

Similar heat‑related concerns led to the cancellation of planned resurfacing on the A27 between Sint‑Annabosch and Hooipolder, as well as on the A2 between Vught and Best. Rijkswaterstaat cited worker safety and the risk of compromised asphalt quality as reasons for the postponements. Other road projects in the region, such as works on the A12, A50, A67 and sections around Schiphol, continue as scheduled.

The agency emphasized that the extreme heat makes 24‑hour construction impractical and that it will prioritize work outside of peak traffic periods when conditions improve.