Each year, approximately 800,000 people walk along the Wadden Promenade. After parking in the long-term lot, they head toward the ferries to Ameland and Terschelling, bags and suitcases in hand. Currently, the promenade’s layout is focused on traffic and has a hard, utilitarian feel. The municipality of Harlingen aims to prepare this important and unique city space for the future by reducing traffic and adding more greenery. We’re developing a plan that maintains traffic flow but smartly reorganizes the space to create more room for pedestrians and green areas.
Harlingen is a unique city, where a seaport meets the historic city center. The Wadden Promenade links Harlingen Haven train station to the long-term parking area, generating a significant flow of pedestrians primarily focused on transit. The municipality’s goal is to encourage more people to linger in this public space in addition to facilitating these transit movements. The route itself will be greatly enhanced in both scale and quality.
We are also improving the current connection between the project area and the city center significantly.
In our plan, we shift the existing kiss-and-ride area westward and elevate the lower parking area. This approach allows us to create a more inviting square, bordered by existing cafés and restaurants. Along the primary sea defense, we’ll create a dune park with sunny views over the Old Outer Harbor and the city center. This will make the space not only more enjoyable for travelers but also, and especially, for Harlingen itself.
