How do you use the Groene Loper, Jeanny?

My first encounter

‘I have been living in Maastricht since 1983,’ says Jeanny. "We moved to Scharn because a beautiful house became available. It was also nice that the house is close to the A2 motorway and the train station. When work on the A2 started, I was very impressed. What a mega project. And it was nice that they kept us moving. Thanks to the temporary bridge, for example, I got to climb a lot of stairs every day. I love exercise, so I didn't see it as an obstacle.‘ Jeanny remembers the A2 as a busy place with accidents, noise and stench. ’I was always happy when the trees started to grow green again. That filtered out a lot of the noise." She is happy with the arrival of the Groene Loper. ‘Absolutely. The peace and quiet is beneficial. It seems as if I hear more birds now too.’

My choices

Jeanny loves exercise and can often be found on the Flaneerpad. "I walk there in the morning and at the end of my working day. It helps me relax. When I go to an appointment on my city bike, I also choose the middle path. There, I simply adapt to the speed of my fellow road users. But for my training round, I take my other bike and go onto the road. There, I can go nice and fast. Cars don't bother me then!" she laughs.

What strikes me

‘I regularly see people stopping at the signs about the Flaneerpad. Then I think: read it, because what's happening here is really something else. That white bike on the road is also very noticeable. That's fundamental and will hopefully slow cars down.’ As a behaviour change agent, Jeanny sees the power of repetition. ‘We have to keep reminding people how we use the Groene Loper together.’ Because Jeanny also notices that not all motorists stop for pedestrians who want to cross at a zebra crossing. ‘But learning new behaviour takes time. We need to help each other a little. By talking to each other, without getting angry. That change is up to all of us, not just the municipality. Then it will eventually become a lot safer here.’

My tip

She finds the Flaneerpad very inviting. ‘My tip is: go for a stroll and leave your mobile phone at home. Then you will react differently to your surroundings, you will look around at others and you will see how beautiful the environment is. The digital world is different from the world here.’ She always advises visitors who come by car to use the tunnel. ‘In my opinion, cars don't really belong here. It's nice if we can preserve the tranquillity of the Groene Loper, then it really is a gift.’

My favourite moment

“That’s definitely the evening. Then it’s nice and quiet here. When I get home late from work, I love to walk along the Groene Loper. I’ve taken lots of photos of the sunrise and sunset here.” Jeanny enjoys the contrasts in the new part of Maastricht. The colours, the profiles of the houses, but also the asphalt, the Flaneerpad and the squares. ‘You don't necessarily have to stand on top of the Student Hotel to get a beautiful view. The Groene Loper offers many unique vistas. Some of the views are temporary, due to the construction of houses, but that's also special.’