In September, the first PlasticRoad bike path will be constructed in Zwolle and in another location in the province a few months later.
In 2015, the PlasticRoad concept was launched by KWS, a subsidiary of Royal VolkerWessels and in 2016 KWS entered partnership with Wavin and Total to further develop the project.
The first two pilot projects will form 30metre long bicycle paths made of hollow prefabricated elements, enabling water drainage and laying down of cables and pipes, with the exact final locations still to be decided.
The PlasticRoad partners KWS, Wavin and Total have worked on the development and testing of the concept to validate and optimise performance such as the load bearing capacity of the modular elements, the appropriate blends of recycled plastic and the three-dimensional design of the road itself.
Anne Koudstaal and Simon Jorritsma, Inventors of the PlasticRoad and KWS employees, explained: "After an extensive period of design, testing and development, we are delighted that the PlasticRoad is becoming a reality. Together with the municipality of Zwolle and the province of Overijssel, we as PlasticRoad partners are taking steps towards a more sustainable world with this first PlasticRoad bike path.”