Why This Singing Road In The Netherlands Was Scrapped After Two Days

A singing road installed outside the village of Jelsum in the Netherlands has been retired after two days due to noise complaints. The road in question was meant to honour the surrounding region’s culture, but instead, caused headaches among its residents.
Jelsum is located in the northern Dutch province of Friesland and borders 2018’s European Capital of Culture, Leeuwarden. Although the province is part of the Netherlands, the people of Friesland have a distinct cultural identity and around 55% of its population speak West Frisian, rather than Dutch, as their native language. Leeuwarden was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture partly due to Friesland’s cultural autonomy and other towns, villages and cities in the province will organise special events related to the project throughout 2018.

Jelsum’s local authorities, for instance, decided to spruce up an otherwise unremarkable road by adding pressure strips to its hard shoulder that sang the Frisian provincial anthem ‘De Alde Friezen’ when run over in succession. Aside from singing an ode to Friesland, these strips were added in order to alert drivers who had veered onto the shoulder and remind them that they should return to the main section of the road. This massive, musical instrument essentially functioned like an enormous, modified piano with its keys set out specifically to play the Frisian anthem.

Although it was meant to prevent people from using the shoulder inappropriately, the project apparently had the opposite effect, as some drivers deliberately sped down the musical part of the road to hear it sing. People living nearby weren’t impressed by this seemingly harmless project and had to endure incessant, random bursts of song without pause (even during the early hours of the morning). Thankfully, for the residents involved, the local government responded quickly to their complaints and silenced the singing road around 48 hours after its debut performance.

Culture Trips launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes places and communities so special.

Our immersive trips, led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.?>

All our travel guides are curated by the Culture Trip team working in tandem with local experts. From unique experiences to essential tips on how to make the most of your future travels, we’ve got you covered.