Rijkswaterstaat is the executive branch of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, responsible for the design, construction, management and maintenance of the (state owned) main infrastructure facilities in the Netherlands. This includes the main road network, the main waterway network and the main water systems. The main road network is of key importance to the Dutch economy in view of its gateway function to Europe. Rijkswaterstaat manages this network in line with the Dutch policy on mobility, striving for reliable journey times and better accessibility.
The second transportation network under responsibility of Rijkswaterstaat is The Dutch waterway network. This is the densest waterway network in Europe. About 6000 kilometers of rivers and canals, many of the latter serving drainage as well as navigation, form a complex system serving all parts of the country. The main commercial waterways (Class IV and higher), with a total length of 2200 kilometer, account for about 40% of international freight movements from the Netherlands whereas about 20% is concerned with domestic freight.
