The A12 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. The road connects the city of The Hague

The Hague

The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...

, with the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 border, near Zevenaar

Zevenaar

Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar...

, and the German Autobahn BAB 3. On its way, it crosses three Dutch province

Province

A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...

s: South Holland

South Holland

South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...

, Utrecht

Utrecht (province)

Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...

, and Gelderland

Gelderland

Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...

.

European routes

The A12 motorway runs along with parts of three major European routes:

• The European route E30
  European route E30
  European route E 30 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from the southern Irish port of Cork in the west to the Russian city of Omsk in the east...
  
   follows the A12 between interchange Prins Clausplein near The Hague, and interchange Lunetten, just southeast of the city of Utrecht
  Utrecht (city)
  Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
  
  .
• The European route E25
  European route E25
  European route E 25 is a north-south European route from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands to Palermo in Italy which includes ferry crossings from Genoa to Bastia , from Bonifacio to Porto Torres and from Cagliari to Palermo .It passes through the following cities:Hoek van Holland –...
  
   runs along the A12 between interchange Gouwe near Gouda
  Gouda
  Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
  
  , and interchange Oudenrijn, just southwest of Utrecht.
• The European route E35
  European route E35
  European route E 35 is a European route that runs from Amsterdam, Netherlands, in northwestern Europe, to Rome, Italy in the south of the continent...
  
   follows the route of the A12 from interchange Oudenrijn towards the German border.

The A12 near The Hague

The section of the A12 road within the city of The Hague (near exits 1, 2 and 3) is actually not a motorway, but a highway

Highway

A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...

. This part of the road, known as the Utrechtsebaan, is too narrow to meet the Dutch requirements for a motorway (for example, it does not have a shoulder

Shoulder (road)

A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a road or motorway. Generally it is kept clear of motor vehicle traffic...

), and is therefore a highway with a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

To avoid local traffic from using this heavily congested part of the road, exits 2 through 4 are built as incomplete exits. These exits only feature westbound exits and eastbound entrances, so they can only be used by interlocal traffic. Local traffic is therefore forced to make use of the available local roads.

'Branding' controversy

In 2008, a government programme on route branding, under an umbrella project in urban planning

Urban planning

Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....

, put stickers on all streetlights of the A12, citing efforts to give it a "route 66

U.S. Route 66

U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...

-like" allure. This plan, dubbed the "regenboogroute" (rainbow route), received news coverage because of its alleged trivial results (stickers on streetlights) and high costs (€120 000).

Exit list

Province	Municipality	Km.	# Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....	Name	Roads	Notes
South Holland South Holland South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...	The Hague The Hague The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...	1	1	Den Haag-Malieveld	N44	Terminus of A12 at the junction with N44
		2	2	Den Haag-Centrum		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		3	3	Den Haag-Bezuidenhout Bezuidenhout Bezuidenhout is the neighborhood southeast of the Haagse Bos neighborhood. Bezuidenhout includes the Beatrixkwartier financial area near the Central Station and streets such as Bezuidenhoutseweg, Juliana van Stolberglaan, Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië, Prins Clauslaan, and Theresiastraat.Part of...		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	Leidschendam-Voorburg Leidschendam-Voorburg Leidschendam-Voorburg is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 73,832 in 2004, and covers an area of 35.68 km² of which 2.86 km² is water.-Origin:...	5	4	Voorburg Voorburg Voorburg is a Dutch town and former municipality in the western part of the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. As also Leidschendam and Stompwijk, it is part of the municipality Leidschendam-Voorburg. It has approximately 39,000 inhabitants....		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		6		Interchange Interchange (road) In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...  Prins Clausplein	A4 A4 motorway (Netherlands) The A4 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands from Amsterdam to the Belgian border near Zandvliet. Some parts of the motorway are still not completed. The completed route as of 2006 is divided into three parts: from Amsterdam via The Hague to Delft, from Vlaardingen to Pernis, and finally from...
	Pijnacker-Nootdorp Pijnacker-Nootdorp Pijnacker-Nootdorp is a suburban municipality in the Randstad conurbation in the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland...	7	5	Nootdorp Nootdorp Nootdorp is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is located approx. 2 km to the east of Delft and about 6 km southeast of the centre of The Hague, in the municipality of Pijnacker-Nootdorp....
	Zoetermeer Zoetermeer Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...	13	6	Zoetermeer Zoetermeer Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950... -Centrum		Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		16	7	Zoetermeer Zoetermeer Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
	Lansingerland Lansingerland Lansingerland is the name for the new municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It was formed on January 1, 2007, by the merger of the municipalities of Berkel en Rodenrijs, Bleiswijk and Bergschenhoek, collectively known as the "B-Triangle".The name was chosen from...	18	8	Bleiswijk Bleiswijk Bleiswijk is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 10,222 in 2006, and covered an area of 21.96 km² of which 0.83 km² is water...	N209
	Zevenhuizen-Moerkapelle Zevenhuizen-Moerkapelle Zevenhuizen-Moerkapelle is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality was formed on January 1, 1991, through the merger of Moerkapelle and Zevenhuizen...	23	9	Zevenhuizen Zevenhuizen - Hamlets :*Zevenhuizen, Bunschoten, hamlet in Bunschoten, Utrecht*Zevenhuizen, Eemsmond, hamlet in Eemsmond, Groningen*Zevenhuizen, Franekeradeel, hamlet in Franekeradeel, Friesland*Zevenhuizen, Heeze-Leende, hamlet in Heeze-Leende, North Brabant...	N219
	Gouda Gouda Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....	27		Interchange Gouwe	A20 A20 motorway (Netherlands) The A20 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is approximately 39 kilometers in length.The A20 is entirely located in the Dutch province South Holland and connects the N213 road from the Westland municipality with the cities of Rotterdam and Gouda, where it connects to the A12 motorway at...	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		29	11	Gouda Gouda Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....	N207
	Reeuwijk Reeuwijk Reeuwijk is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 50.11 km²...	33	12	Reeuwijk Reeuwijk Reeuwijk is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 50.11 km²...	to N11
	Bodegraven Bodegraven Bodegraven is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 38.50 km² of which 1.02 km² is water....	35	12a	Bodegraven Bodegraven Bodegraven is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 38.50 km² of which 1.02 km² is water....	N11	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		39	13	Nieuwerbrug Nieuwerbrug Nieuwerbrug is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Bodegraven, and lies about five kilometres west of Woerden....
Utrecht Utrecht (province) Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...	Woerden Woerden Woerden is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and the fact that it has excellent rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commuters who work in those cities.-Population...	46	14	Woerden Woerden Woerden is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and the fact that it has excellent rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commuters who work in those cities.-Population...	N201
		51	14a	Harmelen Harmelen Harmelen is a town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Woerden, and lies about 6 km east of Woerden.In 2001, the town of Harmelen had 6557 inhabitants...
	Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...	54	15	De Meern De Meern De Meern is a former town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the city of Utrecht, and lies about 5 km west of it. In 2001, it became together with Vleuten, a city part of Utrecht called Vleuten-De Meern....	N198, N228
		57		Interchange Oudenrijn	A2 A2 motorway (Netherlands) The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is one of the busiest highways in the Netherlands. The road connects the city of Amsterdam, near the interchange Amstel, with the Belgian border, near Maastricht and Liège , and the Belgian road A25....
	Nieuwegein Nieuwegein Nieuwegein is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital...	59	16	Nieuwegein Nieuwegein Nieuwegein is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital...
	Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...	60	17	Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features... -Kanaleneiland Kanaleneiland Kanaleneiland is a district within the Southwest section of the Dutch city of Utrecht. It was created in the massive expansion of the city in the 1960s. Today it is listed as one of 40 "problem neighborhoods" that require extra attention by the Dutch Ministry of Housing.Kanaleneiland's residents...
		61	18	Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features... -Hoograven
		62		Interchange Lunetten	A27 A27 motorway (Netherlands) The A27 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is approximately 109 kilometers in length.The A27 is located in the Dutch provinces North Brabant, South Holland, Utrecht, North Holland, and Flevoland. It connects the city of Breda with the Almere...
	Bunnik Bunnik Bunnik is a municipality and a village in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The recorded history of the village dates back nearly 2000 years, when the Romans constructed a fort at Fectio with a harbour facing the river Rhine, which marked the border of the Roman Empire...	68	19	Bunnik Bunnik Bunnik is a municipality and a village in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The recorded history of the village dates back nearly 2000 years, when the Romans constructed a fort at Fectio with a harbour facing the river Rhine, which marked the border of the Roman Empire...	N229
	Utrechtse Heuvelrug Utrechtse Heuvelrug Utrechtse Heuvelrug is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It was formed on 1 January 2006 by combining the former municipalities of Amerongen, Doorn, Driebergen-Rijsenburg, Leersum, and Maarn.-Name:...	71	20	Driebergen Driebergen Driebergen is a former village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. Later it became a part of the single town of Driebergen-Rijsenburg. And presently it's part of Utrechtse Heuvelrug....	N225
		77	21	Maarn	N227	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		81	22	Maarsbergen Maarsbergen Maarsbergen is a settlement in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug, and lies about 18 km east of Utrecht.In 2010, Maarsbergen had 820 inhabitants...	N226
	Veenendaal	92	23	Veenendaal -West
		104	23a	Veenendaal	N233
Gelderland Gelderland Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...	Ede Ede, Netherlands ' is a municipality and a town in the center of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :Community :* Bennekom: 14.749* De Klomp: 508* Deelen: 50* Ede : 67.812* Ederveen: 3.167* Harskamp: 3.464...	107		Interchange Maanderbroek	A30 A30 motorway (Netherlands) The A30 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is located entirely in the Dutch province of Gelderland.The 18 kilometer long motorway connects the A12 motorway near Ede with the A1 near Barneveld. No European routes travel along the A30 motorway....
	Wageningen Wageningen ' is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It is famous for Wageningen University, which specializes in life sciences. The city has 37,414 inhabitants , of which many thousands are students...	109	24	Wageningen Wageningen ' is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It is famous for Wageningen University, which specializes in life sciences. The city has 37,414 inhabitants , of which many thousands are students...
	Renkum Renkum Renkum is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.The municipality has 31.801 inhabitants and has a land area of 47,12 km². Renkum is situated along the river Rhine The municipality Renkum is part of the Stadsregio Arnhem-Nijmegen.The surrounding of the municipality are mainly...	120	25	Oosterbeek Oosterbeek Oosterbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Renkum, about 5 km west of Arnhem.The oldest part of the village of Oosterbeek is the Benedendorp , on the northern bank of the river Rhine...
		121		Interchange Grijsoord	A50 A50 motorway (Netherlands) The A50 is a highway in the Netherlands, running from Eindhoven in the southeast up to Zwolle in the northeast of the country.It passes the cities of Eindhoven, close to Den Bosch, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Apeldoorn and Zwolle....
	Arnhem Arnhem Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...	128		Interchange Waterberg	A50 A50 motorway (Netherlands) The A50 is a highway in the Netherlands, running from Eindhoven in the southeast up to Zwolle in the northeast of the country.It passes the cities of Eindhoven, close to Den Bosch, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Apeldoorn and Zwolle....
		129	26	Arnhem Arnhem Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the... -Noord
		134		Interchange Velperbroek	A348, N325
	Westervoort Westervoort Westervoort is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. The town has two rivers inside its borders, the Rhine and the IJssel. It is a forensic town closely linked to Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland, which is situated on the west bank of the IJssel river, the east bank being occupied...	136	27	Westervoort Westervoort Westervoort is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. The town has two rivers inside its borders, the Rhine and the IJssel. It is a forensic town closely linked to Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland, which is situated on the west bank of the IJssel river, the east bank being occupied...	N338
	Duiven Duiven ' is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. Duiven's name can be translated into English to mean "pigeons" or "doves". Although the coat of arms and logo of the municipality feature pigeons, the name is etymologically related to "dunes"...	138	28	Duiven Duiven ' is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. Duiven's name can be translated into English to mean "pigeons" or "doves". Although the coat of arms and logo of the municipality feature pigeons, the name is etymologically related to "dunes"...
	Zevenaar Zevenaar Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar...	143	29	Zevenaar Zevenaar Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar...	N336
	Montferland Montferland Montferland is a municipality in Gelderland, the Netherlands. It was created on 1 January 2005 from the former neighboring municipalities of Bergh and Didam.- Population centres :Formerly from Bergh*'s-Heerenberg*Stokkum*Zeddam*Braamt*Kilder*Lengel...	147		Interchange Oud-Dijk	A18	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		149	30	Beek Beek Beek is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality of Beek has two railway stations - Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west, and Spaubeek railway station in the east of the municipality...
Border with Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... ; this road continues as the German A3.