The two drawbridges on the A7 at Den Oever connect North Holland with the Afsluitdijk and allow (shipping) road users to pass. The bridges are nearing the end of their lifespan. Therefore, a renovation is needed to keep the bridges operational and safe.
Rijkswaterstaat has awarded the work for the partial replacement and renovation of the bridges to the contractor combination Mobilis-Croonwolter&dros.
Drawbridges at Den Oever
The Afsluitdijk was built in 1932. At that time, there was only one drawbridge in the A7 at Den Oever. In the 1970s, the original bridge from 1932 was replaced with a new one, and a second bridge was built at the same time. The bridges and the adjacent lock are part of the Stevin complex in the Afsluitdijk. Since the construction of the bridges, the population in the Netherlands has grown, and traffic has intensified.
The vehicles that cross the bridges have also become heavier. Now, parts of the drawbridges are due for renewal. The steel bridge structures are suffering from metal fatigue. The moving parts needed to operate the bridges are also fatigued and overloaded.
This makes the bridges less reliable and leads to an increasing number of malfunctions, resulting in traffic jams. In short, it is time for renewal so that the bridges are strengthened for the future. This renovation is part of Rijkswaterstaats maintenance task to strengthen and improve our infrastructure.
Assignment
On behalf of Rijkswaterstaat, the combination Mobilis-Croonwolter&dros will therefore replace the steel bridge structure, the moving parts, and the control of the bridges, as well as those of the adjacent lock. The middle support points in the water, where the bridges rest and rotate, will be preserved.
The width of the bridges and the navigable height will remain unchanged after the renovation. The new drawbridges will retain the external character of the current bridges. After the work is completed, the bridges will be future-proof and safe until at least 2050. This way, (shipping) road users can travel smoothly from A to B again.
Planning
The execution is expected to start in the autumn of 2027. Until then, the combination Mobilis-Croonwolter&dros will prepare the design and execution planning in close cooperation with Rijkswaterstaat.
