A31 motorway (Netherlands)

Location of the A31 / N31.

The A31 / N31 is a motorway and an expressway in the Netherlands. It connects the A7 near Zurich with the A7 near Drachten, passing close to Leeuwarden, the provincial capital. It is slightly unusual due to it changing from full motorway to normal 2-lane road along various sections of its 65 km length.

Route description

The short section between the Zurich interchange with the A7, and exit 15 for Zurich (approx 1.7 km) is designated as the A31 and is built to motorway standards. The next 7 km continues as a 4-lane expressway, until the road narrows to just a normal 2-lane road for the next 3 km while it passes over an elevated section through Harlingen. This section from Zurich to Harlingen is designated as the N31, but retains the motorway-style grade separated intersections. For the next 18 km, until exit 22 for Marssum, the road is once again designated the A31 and is built to motorway standards. This section of the A31 bypasses the towns of Franeker and Dronrijp. At exit 22 one has to take this exit to follow the N31 while continuing over the exit, the road reverts to an expressway and continues as the N383 into Leeuwarden.

The remaining 35 km of the N31, until it meets exit 30 of the A7, is once again an expressway. Of this last section, the first 13 km around Leeuwarden is a just a 2-lane road with at-grade intersections and utilises traffic signals and roundabouts, while the final section opens out into 4-lanes with grade separated intersections. The widening of this last section to four lanes, was completed in 2008.

Exit list

Province Municipality Km. # Name Roads Notes
Friesland Wonseradeel 5 Interchange Zurich A7
N31 expressway
6 15 (A7) Zurich Motorway route. That's unsusual for N-roads in the Netherlands.
12 Kimswerd
Harlingen 15 Harlingen
A31 motorway
18 19 Midlum N390
Franekeradeel 23 20 Franeker N384
Menaldumadeel 30 21 Dronrijp
35 22 Marssum / Heerenveen N383 / N31 One has to take this exit to follow the N31.
N31 local way
Leeuwarden 43 Goutum / Leeuwarden N32
The N31 and the N32 come together.
44,5 Wirdum N32
N31 expressway
47,5 Leeuwarden N358
Tietjerksteradeel 55,5 Garijp N913
Smallingerland 60,5 Nijega N356
65 Rottevalle N369
69 Drachten
69,5 30a Amsterdam / Groningen A7
The N31 becomes the N381.

External links

Media related to Rijksweg 31 at Wikimedia Commons