Provincial road N34 (Netherlands)

Provincial road N34 is a Dutch provincial road that links the N340 near Ommen, Overijssel to Rijksweg 28 near De Punt, Drenthe. Most parts of the road (from Hardenberg to De Punt) is a freeway, of which the part between Coevorden and Emmen-Centrum (the junction with the N381) consists of two lanes in each direction.

Provincial highway 34
Provinciale weg 34
Location of the N34 provincial road
Route information
Length	88 km (55 mi)
Existed	May 29, 1951[1]–present
Major junctions
North end	De Punt
	A28 / E 232 – Groningen A37 / E 233 – Holsloot
South end	Ommen
Location
Provinces	Drenthe, Overijssel
Highway system
Roads in the Netherlands Motorways E-roads Provincial City routes

Route description

The N34 starts in the north in De Punt where it cuts off from the A28 in the province Drenthe and ends in the south in Ommen where it continues as the N340 in the province of Overijssel. At the White Pole between Ommen and Hardenberg, the N36 joins the N34. At the grade-separated Interchange Holsloot, the A37 crosses the N34, also the N33 crosses the N34 with roads that are grade-separated. The most important cities alongside the N34 are Ommen, Hardenberg, Coevorden, Emmen, Borger, Gieten, Annen and Zuidlaren.[2]

History and future

The route of the N34 has a steeped history.[1][3] There has been a road for centuries that connects the same locations as the N34 does. This is mainly because a large part of the road is located on the Hondsrug.[4] This ridge crossed above the swamps that were on either side,[3] and habitation was mainly concentrated on the Hondsrug. In 2010 the N34 was rerouted around Ommen to reduce the traffic load in the city and the hamlet of Hoogengraven; the road used to go through Ommen.[5][6]

The interchange with the N33 used to be a roundabout, but because this is the provincial road with the most accidents by date and especially that crossing, Rijkswaterstaat[7] decided to make it a grade-separated interchange; this also resulted in a better flow of traffic.[8][9] To make space for this interchange, an oak grove had to be cut down. The trees have been cut by Rijkswaterstaat, despite opposition from residents that went to the Council of State of the Netherlands, but lost the case.[10]

Because the N34 is known as a dangerous road (a dodenweg in Dutch) a lot of changes were made over the last few years. Crossings were adjusted so the N34 has no more same-level-junctions anymore. From Ommen to Coevorden it is prohibited to overtake for 18 kilometer as part to make the road more safe. In Drenthe the N34 is also known as the Hunebed Highway, because of the many hunebeds near the N34. They even have signs suggesting an American Interstate.

Because the road is an important road between bigger cities/towns in the eastern part of the Netherlands, where Enschede, Hengelo, Almelo, Vriezenveen, Ommen, Hardenberg, Coevorden, Emmen, Borger and Groningen are connected with each other, the both provinces want to double the road on four places to discourage an overtake and ease the traffic. At least the part between Coevorden-Noord and Emmen (where the N34 meets the N381) will be doubled before 2022.

Junction and exit list

Province	Municipality	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Drenthe	Tynaarlo	0	0.0	A28 / E 232 – De Punt	Joins road A28/E232 to Groningen
		4	2.5	N386 – Zuidlaren
	Aa en Hunze	10	6.2	Anloo/Annen
		15	9.3	N33 – Assen, Delfzijl
		16	9.9	Gieten
		19	12	N378 – Gasselte
	Borger-Odoorn	25	16	N374 – Borger
		27	17	Eeserveen
		28	17	Ees
		30	19	Exloo
		33	21	Odoorn/Valthe
		39	24	Emmen-Noord/Klijndijk
	Emmen	42	26	N381 – Emmen
		45	28	N391 – Emmen-West
	Coevorden	47	29	N376 – Erm
		50	31	A37 / E 233 – Interchange Holsloot
		53	33	N854 – Dalen
		57	35	N382 – Coevorden-Noord
		59	37	N377 – Coevorden
Overijssel	Hardenberg	66	41	Gramsbergen
		70	43	Hardenberg-Noord/Hoogenweg
		72	45	N343 – Hardenberg
		77	48	N36 – White Pole
	Ommen	86	53	N347 / R101 – Ommen
		88	55	N48 / N348 / N340 – Ommen-West	Continues as road N340 to Zwolle
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

1. "Autosnelwegen.nl" [Autosnelwegen.nl] (in Dutch). Autosnelwegen.nl. Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
2. Google (29 April 2014). "From De Punt to Ommen" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
3. Huisman, Harry (1905-09-30). "Waarnemingen aan het Hondsrugsysteem" [Observations on the Hondsrugsysteem] (in Dutch). Kijkeensomlaag.nl. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
4. Sietse Kooistra. "In en om Assen" [In and around Assen] (in Dutch). Inenomassen.nl. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
5. "Start werkzaamheden N34 volgende week" [Start proceedings N34 next week] (in Dutch). Destentor.nl. 2010-09-09. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
6. "Gemeente Ommen / Over Ommen / Nieuws / Gemeentenieuws / Rijkswaterstaat begint met herinrichting N34" [Municipality of Ommen / About Ommen/ News / Municipality News/ Rijkswaterstaat starts redesign N34] (in Dutch). Municipality of Ommen. 2010-09-30. Archived from the original on 2014-03-10. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
7. "N34" [N34] (in Dutch). Rijkswaterstaat.nl. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
8. "Reconstructie N34 - Provincie Drenthe" [Reconstruction N34 - Province of Drenthe] (in Dutch). Provincie.drenthe.nl. 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
9. "Auto contra bus op rotonde N33/N34 nabij Gieten(Video) - Ongeluk in Gieten :: Misdaadmap" [Car counter bus on roundabout N33/N34 near Gieten(Video)] (in Dutch). Misdaadmap.nl. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
10. "Bezwaren omleiding van N34/36 afgevoerd" [Objections diversion of N34/36 drained] (in Dutch). Destentor.nl. Retrieved 2014-03-02.