Lelystad takes to the bicycle to view bottlenecks from the stress test
The municipality of Lelystad has conducted a stress test to chart its vulnerabilities to waterlogging and heat. To this end, it has first commissioned an analysis of the bottlenecks. Subsequently, municipal and district water board staff mounted their bicycles to view these bottlenecks on the spot. That same evening, they presented their findings to the municipal council.
How will Lelystad use the stress test?
With this stress test, Lelystad aims to map out the vulnerabilities of the urban area. The information gathered from the stress test will be used to climate-proof existing and new neighbourhoods. The municipality will adopt a directing approach to this end. For example, under the Operatie Steenbreek de-paving campaign it is encouraging residents and businesses to green their rooftops, gardens, and outdoor spaces. The municipality has also commissioned a stress test of its rural areas, in collaboration with nature management organisations and agricultural organisations.
How was the stress test set up?
The Zuiderzeeland district water board and Aveco de Bondt have jointly analysed the waterlogging and heat bottlenecks. To this end, they used the Tygron Platform. The bottlenecks have been mapped out to show the exact locations that could be vulnerable. With this map, municipal and district water board staff responsible for design, management, and maintenance subsequently mounted their bicycles. How vulnerable are these locations actually? What is the situation? The evening following their bicycle tour, they presented their findings to the municipal council in an informal session.
What were the main outcomes?
The main outcome of the stress test was that, as yet, climate adaptation is still insufficiently incorporated into major repairs, even though climate-adaptive planning does not necessarily entail additional costs. Lelystad is pursuing solutions that are simple yet comprehensive:
- Simple: sinking sections of greenery or replacing (sections of) pavement with greenery is quite easy. For example, open pavement for parking spaces, allowing vegetation to grow through. This is very useful in combating waterlogging;
- Comprehensive: trees can be planted at strategic locations, for example, where they shade the side walls of houses. In addition to enhancing infiltration capacity, biodiversity, and air quality, trees thus also combat heat.
What happens next?
The next step is to involve entrepreneurs and residents in the climate-adaptive designs. This will be effected when neighbourhoods are due for major repairs. At that time, the municipality will inform residents and entrepreneurs of the climate-adaptive measures that will be implemented. The advantages will be explained, for example, although open pavement underneath parking spaces might look less tidy, it is a great solution to combat waterlogging and enhance biodiversity. People themselves will experience such advantages: after a severe downpour, they won’t get their feet wet when getting into their car.
Special features
During the bicycle tour, the municipal and district water board staff noticed a tree that had just been planted. The tree was located near a corner house, where it will shade the garden. The residents may very well lodge a complaint because their garden will not receive sufficient sunlight. If the municipality had planted the tree 5 metres further down, the tree would have shaded the side wall. This would keep the house cool during hot days, thus preventing heat stress. Climate adaptation can be as simple as that.
Lessons to be learned
Examining the various taskings during the stress test, together with colleagues from different departments of the municipality and the district water board, was very useful. It opens up key opportunities for tackling the various taskings in an efficient and integrated manner.
Contact person
Anne Kok
Gemeente Lelystad
Am.kok@lelystad.nl