Over 51 million euros, more than 50 kilometers of bike path, 10 different municipalities. The network of express bicycle routes around Eindhoven is being gigantically expanded in one fell swoop. Via five new connections thousands of commuters will soon reach their destinations much faster. Never before has such a large investment in express bicycle routes been made in the Netherlands.

"This is really where cycling history is being made," said Deputy Stijn Smeulders. "We as Brabant are leading the way with our express bicycle paths, but even for us this is a very big moment. Cycling is fun, healthy and in many cases it is also simply the fastest way to travel. Especially if all these routes are soon realized. Then there will be a great network from which the entire region will benefit. That is something to be proud of."

For years, Brabant has been investing in a network of express bicycle routes that lead from A to B safely and with as few obstacles as possible. So now five routes are being added to that network in one go. This unique opportunity arises because money is available in the package of short-term measures to make the Brainport region more accessible.

Three new bridges, four underpasses

These are routes F2 (Eindhoven-Best), the Pendelroute (also Eindhoven-Best), the Green Corridor (Eindhoven-Oirschot), Hovenring-De Run (Veldhoven) and F58 (Tilburg-Lieshout). A total of three new bicycle bridges and four new bicycle underpasses will be added to the network. The most radical is the adaptation at the Wilhelminakanaal in Best. There will be three new bicycle tunnels under the freeways, plus a new bicycle bridge over the water.

This summer, the province and all ten municipalities involved put their signatures under the administrative agreements that should lead to the construction of the five routes. These are Eindhoven, Veldhoven, Best, Oirschot, Son en Breugel, Laarbeek, Nuenen, Tilburg, Oisterwijk and Hilvarenbeek. At the first location, even the shovel has already gone into the ground. In the course of next year the construction of all new routes should have started.

More bikes after construction express bike path

Research in 2023 shows that 1 in 5 users of already constructed express bike paths previously traveled the same route (in part) by car or public transport. Moreover, some 35 percent of users say they cycle more now than before the arrival of the express bike path. Results that exceeded the province's expectations.

"Those results are a great motivation to continue on this path," said Delegate Smeulders. "Because it does prove that express bicycle routes can help tremendously in the fight against traffic jams. With our network growing so rapidly, it becomes attractive for even more Brabanders to travel by bicycle. Thus, cycling is crucial to keeping our province accessible in the future as well."

Quick/through bicycle routes in Nuenen

The municipality of Nuenen has plenty of good bicycle connections, for example with the neighboring municipalities of Geldrop-Mierlo, Son en Breugel and Eindhoven. This network will be expanded in the coming years in cooperation with the region and the province of North Brabant. 

For Nuenen, the F58 - the express bicycle route along the Wilhelminakanaal - is also under consideration. This route is seen as an important link in the bicycle network of the region and the province of Noord-Brabant. At Stad van Gerwen it is a longer-term ambition to possibly widen the existing bike path. This has been agreed upon in the board agreement with the other municipalities. On the map the red line is interrupted where it is not yet realized.

In addition to the F58, the following express/through bicycle routes are also involved in our municipality:

• For the route Deurne - Helmond - Eindhoven a large part has recently been realized and put into use. Here a section of approximately 1 km remains between Eeneind and the Loostraat in Eindhoven. The traffic lights on the Collse Hoefdijk at the bicycle crossing provide for a balanced flow of traffic. 
• For the Gemert - Eindhoven route (purple dotted line), municipalities and province are currently studying the location of the optimal route and its costs. At the end of this year they will lay down agreements in a management agreement. In Nuenen, part of the route has already been laid down in the preferred alternative (VKA) Bundelroutes. The function of Opwettenseweg (bicycle street) has been established in the Nuenen-West zoning plan.
• Not on the Map is the regional "fast bicycle route" Helmond-Noord (Stiphout) - Eindhoven of which the dark "bat-friendly" bicycle path up to the Laan van Nuenhem has been realized in Nuenen. Along Stiphoutseweg and Lieshouseweg, Helmond and Nuenen have constructed an illuminated bike path.