Cycling in Amsterdam: watch the traffic flow at a transformed busy intersection!

This week’s video captures a snippet of the Amsterdam rush hour in the dark. Join me as we explore the bustling intersection of Weteringschans and Museumbrug, where cycling is the main focus. Among the cyclists, you’ll see pedestrians and trams, but the few cars that are also on the road are expected to behave like guests.

January is surprising us with a fifth Wednesday, messing up my bi-weekly posting plan. As you may know, I try to share a new post and video every two weeks on the first and third Wednesday of each month. To bridge the three-week gap between posts, I have an extra video for you.

In 2019, I filmed a one-minute segment at this very intersection, and to my surprise, the video went viral. In response, I shared an extended version in a blog post. When I showed the reconstructed inner ring road, now transformed into a cycling street, in January 2022, this particular intersection had yet to undergo reconstruction.

The Weteringschans/Museumbrug intersection in the “before situation”. It was a busy and not very clear or safe intersection. (Google Maps). The North and South arms could be used in both directions by private cars. The West and East arm were one-way streets from which only right turns were allowed. After the reconstruction the South arm became a one-way street for cars as well.

This was the plan for the intersection of Weteringschans with Museumbrug. Interestingly private cars can still use all four arms of this pseudo-roundabout. But only partly and in specific directions, namely West to South, North to South, East to North and West to South. Taxis can also go from West to East and vice versa on the tram tracks.

Plans had been developed and finalised after a public consultation. Reconstruction started in October 2022, completing by July 2023. The transformed intersection now gives off a distinctly “cycling space” vibe, aligning with the inner ring’s cycling-centric design. The traffic flow remains a fascinating spectacle, offering insights into the interactions between pedestrians and cyclists.

The intersection as it looked before the reconstruction. In this version the bicycle did not have such a main role as it does after the reconstruction. (Google StreetView)

The reconstructed version at a night in December 2023. It looks remarkably like the rendering (below).

The rendering that was used to inform stakeholders of the planned reconstruction turned out to be very acurate. Picture City of Amsterdam.

Observing the dynamics, it’s interesting to note how locals seamlessly weave through the cyclists, adjusting their walking pace to cross the street. However, tourists often struggle to grasp these unspoken rules, either attempting to cross the zebra crossing in the expectation that cyclists will wait for them or hesitating until a substantial gap in the cyclist stream appears. Some only muster the courage to walk when cyclists come to a complete stop – a noticeable departure from typical Dutch expectations and behavior.

This location once again underscores the notion that traffic signals are unnecessary when interactions are primarily between humans; pedestrians and cyclists. It still holds true when car drivers constitute a mere minority in the traffic flow. Join me in enjoying the video as we delve into the unique traffic dynamics of this newly reconstructed intersection!

This week’s video gives you a 7 minute view of a reconstructed busy Amsterdam intersection during a dark evening rush hour in December.