The mayor and alderpeople of the municipality of Oldambt in Groningen do not want heavy wind turbine components to be transported on local roads.
Translation by Traci White
The local politicians have declined a request by the Dutch National Road Administration (Rijksdienst voor Wegverkeer) to allow “exceptional transport” in Oldambt. Dagblad van het Noordenreports that the representatives want to ensure that local residents, roadways and trees will not suffer as a result of transporting the large and heavy components used to built wind turbines.
Kees Swagerman, a member of the Socialist Party faction in the province, says that roadways are weakened and in poor condition following a prolonged drought last summer, and transporting heavy equipment on those routes would cause damage. Swagerman also says that the local landscape would be marred in the name of the plans: several hundred trees in Oldambt would need to be capped to ensure adequate clearance height for the wind turbine components.
The turbines in questions would be heading from Eemshaven to 1e Exloermond, which is the area where De Drentse Monden and Oostermoer wind park will be built. The current transport route for the turbines would go through the town of Westerlee, which the mayor and alderpeople say poses potential issues for the safety of local residents. The planned route would pass by the Gereweg, Lange Zuidwending, Menterneweg, Oosterstraat, Scheemdermeersterweg, Oude Rijksweg, Provincialeweg, Hoofdweg, Emergoweg and then on to Drenthe.
Oldambt is in the northeastern corner of the province of Groningen and borders Germany, which is where the manufacturer of the wind turbines, Nordex, is located. Elzo Springer, the developer of the Drenthe wind park, says that Nordex will be responsible for how to deliver the wind turbine components. The first delivery is expected in June, and others are scheduled to follow in November.
Photo source: pxhere.com
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