The bridges near Uitwellingerga, Spannenburg, and Kootstertille will be completely replaced. Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Robert Tieman has recently made a preferred decision regarding this.
The 3 bridges will remain movable with a minimum clearance height of 7.40 m. They will be included in a renovation program by Rijkswaterstaat that is carried out by the Program Team Movable Bridges.
Decision on bridges Friesland
This decision has been shared in recent weeks with various local government officials and the province of Friesland. The decision has been met with enthusiasm.
Matthijs de Vries, deputy of the province of Friesland, responded briefly: ‘We are pleased with this decision. This means that 4 out of 5 Rijksbruggen in Friesland are now planned to be addressed.’ It was already known that the bridge Oude Schouw would be addressed. Discussions between the province and the national government are still ongoing regarding bridge Schuilenburg, the last of the 5 bridges.
Mieke Langedijk, director of network development at Rijkswaterstaat Northern Netherlands, is also pleased with the ministers decision: ‘Now that the exploration phase is completed with this decision, we can start with the planning phase and then the realization phase of the bridges. I also look forward to close cooperation with the region and the officials in these phases.’
Why do the Frisian bridges need to be replaced?
The Frisian bridges Kootstertille, Oude Schouw, Spannenburg, and Uitwellingerga no longer meet the requirements for a main shipping route and need to be replaced. The national government and the province of Fryslân discussed the possibilities of building aqueducts instead of bridges. However, the construction of aqueducts turned out to be too expensive and therefore not feasible. Therefore, work is now continuing on the construction of movable bridges with a minimum clearance height of 7.40 m.
What is involved in replacing a bridge?
The replacement of a bridge consists of several phases. The first step is to explore the best option, then the replacement plan is developed, and the demolition and construction are prepared. Then the construction begins. On average, the process from exploration to completion of a bridge takes about 8 to 10 years. Until a bridge is replaced, we monitor the condition of the bridge and carry out work to keep the bridge in good condition.
What is the Program Team Movable Bridges?
The Program Team Movable Bridges is a national team from Rijkswaterstaat that works on renewing and renovating movable bridges that we manage. The goal of the program is to increase the work pace and manage budget and (construction) capacity efficiently. Both Rijkswaterstaat and involved contractors learn from this bundled approach.
Furthermore, it creates room for standardization and innovation. This method helps to execute the construction of subsequent bridges faster and more efficiently after the first bridge is built.
When will the bridges be replaced?
The schedule for replacement varies by bridge. Preparing and executing replacements takes several years. The Program Team Movable Bridges will come up with a preliminary schedule for the preparation and execution phase of the replacement of the Frisian bridges in the autumn.
Important shipping route
The Main Shipping Route Lemmer-Delfzijl (HLD) runs through Friesland and Groningen and is one of the most important shipping routes in the Netherlands. The waterway is of great importance for the regional and national economy.
We have been the owner and manager of the waterway since 2014 and will work on various improvements over the coming decades. This ensures safe, smooth, and sustainable passage for, among others, class Va ships (110 by 11.4 m and a maximum draft of 3.5 m).