On 3 July 2025, Rijkswaterstaat and the GelreGroen consortium, comprising Dura Vermeer, BESIX, HOCHTIEF, Van Oord en John Laing, have signed the updated Design, Build, Finance & Maintain (DBFM) contract for the ViA15 project. This marks an major step forward in the extension of the A15 to the A12, the widening of the A12 between the Westervoort junction and the Oud-Dijk intersection, and the widening of the A15 between the Valburg and Ressen intersections. The project will significantly enhance regional mobility and road safety, with strong attention paid to people, nature, and cultural heritage.
Scope of the project
Under the new agreement, GelreGroen will be responsible for both construction and long-term maintenance of the route starting January 2026. Preparatory works will begin this autumn. Completion is scheduled for 2031, after which GelreGroen will manage and maintain the infrastructure for a period of 20 years.
Contract signing
The updated contract was signed by Martin Wijnen, Director-General of Rijkswaterstaat, and, on behalf of GelreGroen, Alexander Hofmann and Martijn Lunneker. An initial contract had been signed in 2020, but implementation was delayed due to the lack of a legal basis. Following the Council of State’s irrevocable approval of the route in October 2024, Rijkswaterstaat and GelreGroen resumed intensive discussions to move the project forward.
Martin Wijnen, Director-General of Rijkswaterstaat, said: “We’re pleased that after a long period of waiting and uncertainty, we can now begin construction on the new A15 section and the widening of the A12 and A15,” said Martin Wijnen. “Since the Council of State’s final ruling, we’ve had constructive and solution-oriented talks with GelreGroen. We look forward to a strong collaboration in the years ahead.”
Next steps
Preparatory works will kick off in autumn 2025. The new A15, including the bridge over the Pannerdens Kanaal, is expected to open to traffic in 2031.
In the coming months, Rijkswaterstaat and GelreGroen will continue preparations for the project’s execution. Public information sessions are planned for autumn to update local residents and stakeholders on the timeline and upcoming works.
About GelreGroen
GelreGroen is a consortium of Dura Vermeer, BESIX, HOCHTIEF, Van Oord and John Laing. The consortium is responsible for the design, build, financing and 20-year maintenance of the project. The name GelreGroen refers to a nature-inclusive design of this new road link, where “Groen” (Green) means caring for the environment with the aim of satisfied residents, nature organisations, road users and administrative stakeholders.
About the ViA15 project
With ViA15, Rijkswaterstaat and the province of Gelderland are working to improve traffic flow in the Arnhem-Nijmegen region, the Liemers region and the Achterhoek region. Extending the A15 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 help to improve the business climate. Commissioned by the province of Gelderland, GelreGroen is also constructing a bicycle highway parallel to the A15.
More information can be found at www.via15.nl.
