Good practice 1 Indicator 1 Climate change: Mitigation and adaptation and Indicator 11 Energy District heating Network Nijmegen and Arnhem The residual heat of waste processing in the Nijmegen region will be used as of 1 January 2015 in district heating, installed by Nijmegen together with ARN, Alliander, the province of Gelderland and Nuon. Currently, 4,000 houses in the Waalsprong are connected to district heating (figure 1). Figure 1: District heating network in construction In the follow-up phase up to 2020 another 10,000 houses in the Waalsprong and the Waalfront will be connected. District heating will also be rolled out to the campus with the Radboud University and the Radboud University Medical Center. In addition, various industrial estates, such as Goffert/Winkelsteeg, where NXP is situated, and the area of the Canisius-Wilhelmina hospital, will hopefully also be connected. The same applies to the surrounding houses, such a student flats. Figure 2: Rollout district heating between now and 2020 to at least 14,000 housing equivalents in Nijmegen, to the University and the hospitals (Radboud and CWZ).
In October 2014 these parties and the municipality of Arnhem recorded the ambition to make this district heating regional by connecting it to the Arnhem district heating network, with which in total 90,000 homes can be connected in both cities by 2030 (figure 3). This district heating leads to 70 per cent less CO2 emission with high efficiency gas boilers and largely contributes to Nijmegen s objective to be energy neutral by 2045. The national government makes maximum 2.5 million available for the construction of district heating. This is co-financing in addition to the financing of the municipality of Nijmegen ( 3.8 million) and the province of Gelderland ( 4 million). Figure 3: District heating, urban and regional expansion
Good practice 2 Indicator 2 Local Transport Cycle superhighways The realisation of cycle superhighways in the city has the full support of the population and the administration. These past few years, many kilometres of high-grade cycle superhighways were added with the region s support. By taking powerful steps forward together and being result-oriented, large parts of the city now have pleasant, limited traffic cycle superhighways where cyclists have primacy. Arnhem and Nijmegen will together host the international cycling conference Velocity 2017 for good reason. Typical of cycle superhighways is quality, delightful cycling without much delay. The cycle paths go in two directions through limited traffic areas, with priority over car traffic. The realisation of decent cycle superhighways has a discernible effect on a reduction of traffic jams and a shift from cars to bikes. The share of bikes in the modal split is growing, especially for short distances. Comfortable bike routes are a must for e-bikes. Cycle superhighways do not end at the city s boundary, but connect to surrounding villages. For instance, the RijnWaalpad, the 18 kilometre long connection between Arnhem and Nijmegen, was recently laid. A special lighting fixture gets drivers thinking: isn t cycling a better option? Figure 1: Cycle superhighway Arnhem- Nijmegen Cycling infrastructure Cycling tunnels and cycling bridges are costly, but valuable for cyclists. Cyclists can then cross a traffic link safely and without delay. Nijmegen has realised six cycling tunnels and a cycling bridge in the past five years. An icon for the city is the cycling bridge Snelbinder across the Waal, a spatial structure of 2,300 metres length, so one can cycle over the city (figure 2). Figure 2: Snelbinder (cycling bridge hanging from a railway bridge, 2,300 metres length)
Bicycle parking The role of the bike in the municipal transport system is becoming valuable. There are major advances with regard to the quality of bicycle parking with long-term effects. The best example is the bicycle park & ride near Nijmegen station. This location has 4,000 places, the finishing level of an expensive car park, is free, open round the clock, with superintendents. Later this year, an automated counting system will be introduced to clarify which spaces are available. Figure 3: Recently realised bicycle park & ride at Central Station under Pop music center Doornroosje and student flats
Good practice 3 Indicator 3 Green urban areas Groen Verbindt Campaign The municipality of Nijmegen wants more green in the city. We want to make a greater connection between the green area of Nijmegen, the parks and the green urban areas. I.e. Groen Verbindt, or Green Connects. But not only plants (and the animals that live off them) are being connected. Making and executing plans together unites people. Groen Verbindt mainly means green for, of and by the city. Many resident plans have been realised these past few years, from vegetable garden De Groene Tol to personal plant and flower management in the Van Heutzstraat. A lot of improvement of the city is still possible. The aim of the Groen Verbindt campaign is that the people of Nijmegen want to be proud of their animal and plant diversity, in their garden, their neighbourhood and the whole city. Nijmegen wants to organise this together with its residents and organisations. This is why we started looking for good green ideas in the city! Figure 1: Aldermen Tiemens and Helmer-Englebert at the brainstorming evening Alderman Harriët Tiemens: I hope that Groen Verbindt will offer a proper contribution to green in and around the city, but to achieve this it has to be something of and by the city. This is why we are challenging all green specialists in Nijmegen, professional organisations as well as experts. Figure 2: Presentation Urban Badgers project
One of the professional organisations was the Association for the Dutch Cultural Landscape. They presented the Urban Badgers project. Thanks to the many fences and tunnels along roads around Nijmegen, the number of badgers around Nijmegen has seriously increased. Badgers are also foraging and settling in several residential areas. In consultation with locals and nature organisations we want to adapt the layout and land management and take measures to limit/prevent traffic mortality (2015). We are therefore preparing measures in the Dukenburg quarter (realisation 2016). Figure 3 Ecological connecting zone for badgers [Legend Active badger area, Active castle, Fence, Badger tunnel] Good practice 4 submitted in EN Good practice 5 submitted in EN Good practice 6 submitted in EN