‘Road users think it’s fantastic that I’m here.’
His eyes scan the traffic situation at that moment. Are all traffic lights working, are all signs correct? If everything works properly, traffic will flow automatically and the traffic situation will be safe in the city. Is there a breakdown, save or a traffic jam? On his motorcycle, Martijn den Bakker is quickly at the place where it is loose. Then he goes to work.
Den Bakker is one of the road stewards of Amsterdam. His main task: ensuring accessibility, road safety and traffic flow. He drives 5 days a week on the major arteries through the city and is ready in the event of an emergency or acute unsafe situations. “We get an update every week on all road works in the city. Then we will be well prepared.”
Human look
Den Bakker’s position is temporary, the trial will end at the end of this year. “We are an addition to all digital measurement and control systems in the city. And of value. A breakdown of an accident in the city always leads to blockages. I make sure that the emergency services on site can do their work safely. With my motorbike and cones, I create a safe place around the incident and ensure that other traffic flows as well as possible to prevent follow-up accidents and maintain accessibility,” says Den Bakker.
Area within the ring
”My working area is the whole of Amsterdam, on behalf of the ring, which falls under Rijkswaterstaat. I think all the traffic lights, poles, pillars and signs are up and working well. Also the diversion routes. The round blue sign with the white arrow indicating which side to pass the column is ironically the most knocked over. I report that to Stadswerken. It is often restored within 3 hours.”
Is it red on the map?
There are quite a few cameras in town. Nevertheless, traffic control does not have an overview of all situations. “Do notification systems indicate the speed conflict? Is it red somewhere on the map? Then I get the question to see what is going on. For example, it can be so busy at the GGD test location on Sloterdijk that the Haarlemmerweg there is hindered by actions and intersections a kilometer away. In consultation with Traffic Control, we are taking measures to maintain accessibility, traffic flow and road safety.”
Road inspector Martijn den Bakker at work.
20 years of experience
Den Bakker has a lot of traffic insight. He has been professionally ‘on the road’ since the late 1990s. He was a bicycle courier in Amsterdam, San Francisco and Minneapolis and he drove as a car courier throughout Europe. “When I had my own courier company, I took care of the planning myself.” As a native of Amsterdam, he knows the city like no other. Before this, Den Bakker was a traffic controller and he followed the Incident Management course.
Farewell service Peter R. de Vries
On the morning of the farewell service of Peter R. de Vries, a traffic light was knocked over on the Rhijnspoorplein. The square is connected to the Wibaut- and Weesperstraat, the approach route to Carré, where the service was held. “The electricity cables were open and exposed and there was a risk of short circuits. The repair work is without power, so the traffic lights did not work during the repair. Because the free transactions is large, I got help from 4 officers in 2 police cars to safely divert the traffic on the transactions: all traffic flows could turn to the right and continue on their way. No crossing traffic, no blockages, no unsafe traffic situations. Just a little detour. It went perfectly. Traffic control monitored us via cameras.”
Storm damage repaired quickly
“After the recent storms, there was a lot of damage, traffic lights were turned out of the direction of travel and signs completely reversed. We have reported all damage. Within a week everything was more or less restored. Naturally, the responsible departments, City Works and VMCA (traffic control), also carry out checks themselves. But we are often just a little faster,” explains Martijn.
Lots of comments
Den Bakker receives positive reactions to his presence in the city. You always have many different road users in Amsterdam. Car traffic must be closed. Try explaining that to a cyclist. He wants one on top of the Amsterdam bridge, so that it has greenery like the Zeeburgerdijk preferably. And vice versa, you are a guest in rows as a driver, many drivers still have to get used to that. It’s a wonderful yet wonderful game. In general, road users think it’s great that I’m there. I am addressed every hour of the day; often with questions about traffic situations, but road users also draw my attention to things they notice. People who drive somewhere every day often know a little more about the road than I do. I also listen to that.”