Ministers Warn of Massive Shortfall for Dutch Infrastructure

The Dutch government says the country needs far more predictable, long-term money to keep major infrastructure working and to build new links for housing and the economy. In a letter to MPs, caretaker ministers Robert Tieman (Infrastructure and Water Management) and Mona Keijzer (Housing and Spatial Planning) warned that recent “patchwork” funding has left key projects underfunded and timelines uncertain. They call for a structural budget boost to the Mobility Fund from 2031, rising toward mid-century, so that builders and operators can plan with confidence.

The cabinet outlines a shift from one-off injections to a multi-decade baseline. Their example path is an extra €1 billion per year for the Mobility Fund starting in 2031, growing to around €2.5 billion per year by 2050. That would add “tens of billions” over time and reduce the need to raid existing pots to plug short-term gaps, a practice that has slowed or complicated delivery in recent years. The goal is steady money for both new capacity and life-extension of ageing assets.

Ministers single out “structure-strengthening” investments that unlock housing and jobs, including the IJmeer Connection between Amsterdam and Almere and the Merwedelijn between Utrecht and Nieuwegein. Both schemes are meant to support large new housing areas and ease pressure on crowded commuter routes. The letter also situates these alongside the broader multi-year investment program (MIRT), which maps national priorities across roads, rail, and waterways.

Demand is rising while much of the network built in the post-war decades needs heavy maintenance or replacement. Rijkswaterstaat has described the current workload as the largest maintenance task ever, and sector analyses put the maintenance shortfall at over €20 billion through the 2030s if nothing changes. Military mobility requirements (NATO) also mean bridges and corridors must meet higher standards. Without steady money, agencies defer works, costs grow, and reliability suffers.

Short-term fixes tend to spread cuts across many projects rather than prioritizing a few to completion. That can cause repeated re-planning, contractor uncertainty, and higher bids as firms factor in risk. government says a predictable runway would let the construction sector staff up and invest in capacity, reduce tender risk premiums, and shorten delivery. It would also help provinces and cities align their housing and mobility plans with realistic timelines.

If the funding shift goes ahead, commuters and freight operators should see fewer surprise closures and a clearer schedule for big bridge and tunnel refurbishments. New links like the IJmeer Connection and Merwedelijn could advance from concept and planning toward delivery, supporting housing build-out in surrounding regions. Conversely, if the gap is not closed, expect continued speed limits, lane reductions, emergency repairs, and slower progress on capacity that underpins housing targets.

Parliament will now debate the ministers’ letter and the accompanying MIRT 2026 overview. Any structural top-up to the Mobility Fund will need political backing across several budgets, since the largest increases would start after 2030. Meanwhile, Rijkswaterstaat and ProRail are expected to keep prioritizing safety-critical works while refining timelines for large renewals and region-shaping rail links.