The renovation of the Piet Hein tunnel and thoughtful urban m | Amsterdammer in English
The renovation of the Piet Hein tunnel and thoughtful urban marketing
The Piet Hein tunnel, which connects Amsterdam with the developing districts of Zeeburgereiland and IJburg, is undergoing major construction work and will therefore be closed to all traffic for a full 15 months from June 25, 2021 to September 30, 2022. All except for tram 26. The point is to perform the reconstruction in such a way that the tram, as the only means of transport left available to residents (apart from the bicycle, of course), could continue to operate. Therefore, with the exception of a few weekends, when it will be replaced by bus 76 on the construction bypass route, the tram will continue to run on schedule.
A whole marketing campaign has been launched to inform the residents: Facebook ads, signage and even a YouTube video (attached below) warn citizens everywhere about the changes. Seems like they've already tried to smooth out the inconvenience as much as possible. But no. For me, as an urbanist and marketer, this is where the most interesting part begins.
"Is the Piet Hein tunnel closed? Now we'll tell you about good alternatives to the car!" - is written on the municipal website amsterdambereikbaar.nl, which literally translates as 'Accessible Amsterdam'. Firstly, a special daily pass for the residents of Zeeburgereiland and IJburg has been issued for the use of tram 26 costing €1 instead of €8.50. Secondly, 2 different discounts on electric scooter rentals are offered, including 35 minutes as a gift. And thirdly, they can try out rides on an electric bike for 1 week completely free! Honestly, this care will never cease to amaze me
