Posted on July 7, 2025
Rotterdam, the Netherlands – On 3 July 2025, Rijkswaterstaat and the GelreGroen consortium – consisting of Dura Vermeer, BESIX, HOCHTIEF, Van Oord, and John Laing – signed the updated Design, Build, Finance & Maintain (DBFM) contract for the ViA15 project. This marks an important step in extending the A15 motorway to the A12, widening the A12 between the Westervoort junction and the Oud-Dijk interchange, and widening the A15 between the Valburg and Ressen interchanges. This is an exceptional project that improves the region’s accessibility and road safety, with attention to people, nature, and history.
Signing of the contract means that GelreGroen will be responsible for both the construction and maintenance of the route from January 2026. Preparatory work will start this autumn. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2031, after which GelreGroen will be responsible for managing and maintaining the infrastructure for a period of 20 years.
The contract was signed by Martin Wijnen, director general of Rijkswaterstaat, and by Alexander Hofmann and Martijn Lunneker on behalf of GelreGroen. An initial contract was already signed in 2020, but implementation was delayed due to the lack of a legal basis. Since the Dutch Council of State declared the Route Decision irrevocable in October 2024, the two parties have held extensive discussions on continuation of the project.
Preparations and planning
GelreGroen will start preparatory work in autumn 2025. Traffic is expected to be able to use the new A15 and the bridge over the Pannerden Canal for the first time in 2031.
In the coming months, Rijkswaterstaat and GelreGroen will be preparing to carry out the work. Meetings will take place in the autumn to inform local residents and stakeholders about the schedule and implementation of the project.
Martin Wijnen, Director-General of Rijkswaterstaat: ‘After a long period of waiting and uncertainty, we are happy that matters are now clear. We can now get down to work with GelreGroen to construct the new A15 and widen the existing A12 and the A15. After the Council of State issued its final ruling in October 2024, we held constructive discussions with GelreGroen on the progress of the project, the contract, and the schedule for the work. We are confident of effective cooperation in the years ahead.’
Martijn Lunneker, Director of John Laing: ‘It took a long time before there was clarity about the Via15 project. I have great respect for all those involved and for the teams who have continued to believe in the project and have contributed to it. That wasn’t something that you could take for granted. A project with a construction period of almost 6 years plus 20 years of maintenance – and that was then postponed by 5 years – is no easy undertaking. Even if the project is virtually unchanged, it demands a rethink of the impact on the plans, the approach, and the contract. I want to express my appreciation for the commitment that Rijkswaterstaat has shown to continuing to take the necessary steps, together with us, and at all levels. It’s a great example of how cooperating brings success, even when the going gets tough. So we are also looking forward to getting down to work together on this splendid project in actual practice.’
About GelreGroen
GelreGroen is a consortium made up of Dura Vermeer, BESIX, HOCHTIEF, Van Oord, and John Laing. The consortium is responsible for the design, construction, financing, and 20-year maintenance of the project. The name ‘GelreGroen’ refers to the nature-inclusive design of this new road link, with ‘Green’ signifying care for the surroundings, with the aim of ensuring satisfied residents, nature conservation organisations, road users, and administrative stakeholders.
About the ViA15 project
With the ViA15 project, Rijkswaterstaat and the province of Gelderland are working to improve traffic flow in the Arnhem-Nijmegen and Achterhoek regions and the Liemers area. Extending the A15 motorway to the A12 and partly widening both roads will increase accessibility and create a direct link between the port of Rotterdam and Germany. This will make the area more attractive for businesses. The province of Gelderland has also commissioned GelreGroen to construct an express cycle route parallel to the A15.
More information is available at www.via15.nl.
