The inspection paths (towpaths) along the Julianakanaal near Urmond are being improved. The municipality of Stein is doing this in collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat to enhance accessibility during the renovation of the bridge and to minimize inconvenience for local residents.
Inspection paths on the west side (from Muntherveste to the concrete quay at Berg) are being renovated and widened to 1.3 m wide. The east side will also be addressed. The path will be extended to the Canal Boulevard (3.50 m and 1.3 m) with two branches to Molenweg. Everyone living near the inspection path will receive a letter about the work.
Planning work on inspection paths along the Julianakanaal
The work will start in mid-October and last until early December 2025. The schedule (depending on the weather) is as follows:
- from October 13: removal of the old asphalt
- from October 27: laying the foundation
- from November 26 to December 3: laying the new asphalt
- afterwards: finishing the edges within two weeks and opening the paths
The section under the bridge will only be asphalted after the renovation of the bridge. Temporary measures will be taken so that the towpath can also be used for walking or cycling after completion.
Inspection path temporarily closed
From October 13 until the completion of the new path, the towpaths on the west side of the Julianakanaal will be inaccessible.
No official walking or cycling path
The inspection path is owned by Rijkswaterstaat. It is publicly accessible, but we want to emphasize that it is not an official cycling or walking path.
Walking or cycling is allowed. It is not part of the regular roads and cycling paths and is not yet equipped for that. This will be taken into account in the traffic plan for the bridge renovation and the additional measures advised by the advisory group.
A piece of history
An inspection path is also colloquially known as a towpath or haulage path. It is a path along a canal or river that was formerly used to pull ships forward. This pulling was called hauling. This occurred in unfavorable wind and against the current. Hauling was done by draft animals and sometimes also by people.
After the decline of the horse-drawn barge in the nineteenth century and the arrival of the steam engine, towpaths lost significance. It is now used as an inspection path by Rijkswaterstaat and can be walked and cycled on.