2024 was a busy and dynamic year for Rijkswaterstaat. We replaced and renovated outdated infrastructure. At the same time, we kept traffic on roads and waterways moving despite increasing congestion and extreme weather conditions.
We remained alert to the quality of our water and worked on innovative projects that contribute to a safe and future-proof Netherlands. In our annual report, you can read how we tackled this and what it produced.
Read our annual report on 2024
Obstacles and Successes
A significant part of our infrastructure is aging rapidly. To ensure that (water)way users can continue to reach their destination smoothly and safely, a lot of maintenance is required. We worked hard on the renovation of the Heinenoord tunnel. At the same time, we also built new, future-proof infrastructure. The new Blankenburg Connection , which opened in 2024, is a great example of this.
How important our weirs and locks are was evident during an emergency in October 2024. A ship blocked the weir at Borgharen for a week. This caused shipping traffic to come to a standstill. Thanks to strong teamwork, this hectic situation was successfully resolved.
Managing Water and Protecting Nature
In 2024, we again noticed that the weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Extreme rain showers and rising sea levels require additional measures to protect our country. For instance, we are installing 6 mega pumps in the pumping station of the Afsluitdijk and started the renovation of the Oosterscheldekering.
In other projects, biodiversity played a significant role, such as in our work on the Black Water in Overijssel .
Read More in the Annual Report 2024
These are just a few examples of what Rijkswaterstaat did in 2024 to keep our country safe, livable, and accessible. Curious about the rest? Check out the Rijkswaterstaat Annual Report 2024 .