Utrecht restores historic canal made into motorway in 1970s
by Daniel Boffey in Brussels from Environment | The Guardian on (#58348)
Swimmers and pleasure boats gather as Dutch city celebrates reopening of Catharijnesingel
It is being viewed as the correction of a historic mistake. More than 40 years after parts of the canal that encircled Utrecht's old town were concreted over to accommodate a 12-lane motorway, the Dutch city is celebrating the restoration of its 900-year-old moat.
In an attempt to recast its residents' relationship with the car, Utrecht's inner city is again surrounded by water and greenery rather than asphalt and exhaust fumes.
Continue reading...