The Province of North Holland will carry out repair works on Ouderkerk Bridge near Ouderkerk aan de Amstel between September 1, 2025, and the end of March 2026.
To allow road traffic to continue during the works, the contractor will place a temporary bridge on top of Ouderkerk Bridge. There will be weekend and night closures for the placement and removal of the temporary bridge. Motorized traffic on the N522 will be diverted via the A2-A9 and should account for extra travel time. For shipping traffic, the Amstel will be closed to vessels taller than 2.90 meters from September 1 to the end of March 2026.
The repair works on Ouderkerk Bridge will last a total of 7 months. During this period, the temporary bridge will be placed on the northern bridge from October 20 to November 21, 2025. From January 12 to February 6, 2026, the temporary bridge will be on the southern bridge. Motorized traffic on the N522 can continue to use Ouderkerk Bridge at an appropriate speed (30 kilometers per hour). To reduce traffic jams, the province advises through traffic between Amsterdam Zuidoost and Amstelveen to use the A2-A9 (and vice versa) between September 2025 and March 2026.
Weekend and Night Closures
For the preparations and the placement and removal of the temporary bridge, several weekend closures are planned. During these weekends, motorized traffic will not be able to use the bridge. The following weekends are tentative:
- October 3 - 6, 2025
- October 17 - 20, 2025
- November 21 - 24, 2025
- January 9 - 12, 2026
- February 6 - 9, 2026
After the removal of the temporary bridge, welding work will take place. As a result, Ouderkerk Bridge will be closed for motorized traffic several nights at the end of November 2025 and mid-February 2026.
During the weekend and night closures, cyclists, pedestrians, emergency and aid services, and bus services will still be able to use Ouderkerk Bridge. Other traffic will be diverted via the A2 and A9.
Shipping
During the repair works, Ouderkerk Bridge cannot be operated for shipping. Between September 1 and the end of March 2026, the Amstel at the height of Ouderkerk Bridge will therefore be closed to shipping traffic taller than 2.90 meters. Vessels shorter than 2.90 meters can use the main and/or western underpass of the bridge.
What is being repaired?
At the end of 2023, a defect was discovered in the lifting mechanism of Ouderkerk Bridge. Investigations showed that the connections of this lifting mechanism were not of the right quality for the weight of the bridge. This caused damage to the lifting mechanism. The contractor has temporarily reinforced the lifting mechanism in March 2024 and repaired the resulting damage. The province wants a permanent solution so that Ouderkerk Bridge has a lifespan of 100 years again. To achieve this, it is necessary to replace a part of the lifting mechanism, the so-called coupling pipe.
To replace the coupling pipe, the bridge must not vibrate too much, and no weight can be placed on the bridge. Therefore, the contractor will construct a temporary bridge above the existing bridge, which will absorb the vibrations and the weight of the moving traffic.
More Information
With questions about the works, (navigation) road users and residents can contact the Service Point at 0800-0200 600 (free) or by email servicepunt@noord-holland.nl. The works can also be followed via www.noord-holland.nl/brugouderkerk Opens an external link or the regional Facebook page @AmstellandMeerlanden Opens an external link.