Nationale Wegen (National Highways) or simply N-wegen (N-roads), was a numbering system for a set of main highway routes in the Netherlands, used from 1957 through 1976.

In 1957, signposted road numbering was introduced in the Netherlands and the governments Rijkswegen plan foresaw in an increasing number of highways, together forming a nationwide system. Alongside the pan-European E-road numbers, which were given to routes of international importance, a complementing series of N-road numbers was devised to designate those routes not included in the European system, but considered of national significance.

National Road network (Netherlands)

In 1976, the until then administrative only Rijksweg numbers were adopted as the new road denominations, along with a completely new series of N-numbers for Non motorway highways, in 1978. The original brown N-numbers on road-signs were since then replaced with red A-numbers, for Dutch motorways, and new yellow N-numbers for other highways. The E-road system was significantly renumbered in 1985, but remains signposted everywhere in the Netherlands.

National Road network (Netherlands)

For this road system the numbers 89 to 100 were used. This is because the numbers leading up to 85 were used for the original Rijksstraatwegen and later the modern rijkswegen count.

National Road network (Netherlands)

Original N-highway routes

N89 "The Wadden Sea Route", length: 200 km

Amsterdam - Delfzijl (via Alkmaar, Leeuwarden and Groningen)

N90 "The Frisia Route", length: 130 km

Leeuwarden - Almelo (via Heerenveen and Zwolle)

N91 "The Zuyderzee Route", length: 145 km

Joure - Utrecht (via Lelystad and Hilversum)

N92 "The Lower Saxony Route", length: 185 km

Eemshaven - Enschede (via Emmen and Hardenberg)

N93 "The Veluwe Route", length: 180 km

Emmeloord - Tilburg (via Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Nijmegen and 's-Hertogenbosch)

N94 "The Central Route", length: 220 km

Hoorn - Valkenswaard (via Lelystad, Ede, Oss and Eindhoven)

N95 "The Upper Meuse Route", length: 140 km

Nijmegen - Maastricht (via Venlo and Heerlen)

N96 "The Rhine Route", 110 km

Maasvlakte - Enschede (two sections, separated by E31 )

N97 "The Lower Meuse Route", length: 135 km

Renesse - 's-Hertogenbosch (via Zierikzee, Steenbergen and Moerdijk)

N98 "The Delta Works Route", length: 160 km

Europoort - Sas van Gent (via Renesse and Flushing)

N99 "The North Sea Route", length: 235 km

Wieringen - Antwerp (via Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Bergen op Zoom)

N100 "The IJ Route", length: 55 km (incomplete) Greater beltway around Amsterdam

See also

N93 (Netherlands) for a fully detailed example of one of these old routes

Rijksstraatweg - History of the first Dutch highway network

Roads in the Netherlands

References

Lists of roads in the Netherlands