Rijksweg 79

Autosnelweg A79 in the Netherlands
map
Basic data
Operator:
further operator:	Limburg
Overall length:	17 km (19 km to Heerlen)
Provinces :	Limburg
Development condition:	2 × 2 lanes
Course of the road Knooppunt Kruisdonk   (1)  Bundles (2)  Meerssen (3)  Valkenburg Viaduct (4)  Hulsberg (5)  Climbing (6)  Voerendaal Knooppunt Kunderberg   Motorway end (7)  Heerlen Center Heerlen

The Rijksweg 79 (abbreviation: RW 79 ) - short form: Autosnelweg 79 (abbreviation: A79 ) - is a Dutch motorway . It runs through the province of Limburg and connects Maastricht with Heerlen via Valkenburg . The route was originally built by the Province of Limburg and completed in 1975. At the end of the 1980s, it was upgraded to a motorway and was taken over by the Rijkswaterstaat .

The motorway connects the A2 with the A76 , since the two Knooppunte were not fully completed, there was only one possibility to drive north from the A79 until 2014. At Knooppunt Kruisdonk there was only the option to take the A2 towards Maastricht .

The A79 runs through a very special landscape on the edge of the Geuldal ( German: Göhltal). At Valkenburg the road crosses a valley bridge, unique in the Netherlands. In addition, the route has several climbs and descents.

When the route was still administered by the province, it had no number and there were no emergency telephones . In addition, only the exits were illuminated and there was insufficient signage. When the route was taken over by the Rijkswaterstaat, it was given a number and it was equipped with emergency telephones, guardrails and adequate signage.

When the route was still administered by the province, there were two rest areas between Valkenburg and Klimmen called Keelbos (south) and Ravensbos (north). In 2004, however, these were demolished by the Rijkswaterstaat. Today only a few asphalt remains from the former rest area.

It is also noticeable that the signs for the Voerendaal exit are only displayed 400 m beforehand. Usually this is indicated 1200 m and 600 m before the exit. That was not changed when the signage was replaced in 2004. This is probably due to the fact that the distance between the Klimmen and Voerendaal exits is very short.

Adjustments to Kruisdonk and Kunderberg

The connection at the motorway triangle (Knooppunt) Kruisdonk Eindhoven-Maastricht and Maastricht-Eindhoven was realized by means of a bypass road and a loop as part of the König-Willem-Alexander tunnel construction of the A2 in Maastricht and the associated infrastructural changes in the region. This leads to a complete diversion route between Knooppunt Kruisdonk, Knooppunt Kunderberg and Knooppunt Keresheide.

Rijkswaterstaat started this work in summer 2012. The new bypass roads and exits were completed in 2014.

photos

• 

  Beginning of the A79 at Knooppunt Kruisdonk.

• 

  The A79 at Rothem.

• 

  Notice board just before Valkenburg.

• 

  The A79 near Valkenburg

Web links

Commons : Rijksweg 79  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Opening history of the A79 (Dutch)
• Info (Rijkswaterstaat / Ministry of Transport) (Dutch)
• A79 on autosnelwegen.net