Amsterdam is inextricably linked with water. Its many bridges and quay walls connect the neighborhoods and districts, giving the city its unique character. However, hundreds of bridges and dozens of kilometers of quay walls have reached the end of their lifespan and are in poor condition. To keep the city safe, accessible, and livable, these are now being replaced.
The challenge is vast and complex, and the approach will take many years, demanding a lot from the city. But it also offers opportunities for the future. Such as renewing and greening quays and streets, providing more space for cyclists and pedestrians. Or reducing the nuisance of heavy truck traffic by encouraging more transportation over water – as it was done a few hundred years ago.
Large and Long-term Challenge Many bridges and quay walls, many over 100 years old, were not designed for the heavy loads and intensive use of today. Furthermore, in recent decades, the management of bridges and quay walls has mainly been reactive. This creates an urgent need to ensure safety in the short term while simultaneously increasing knowledge about the state of the bridges and quay walls.
To prevent the backlog of maintenance from increasing, we also need to renew more bridges and quay walls than before. In determining the order of replacements, we consider not only the condition of the structure but also the accessibility of the city.
The plan assumes that over the next 10 years, over 200 km of founded quay walls and 800 bridges will be renewed.
CI-Engineers is helping to realize this plan and has started with its employees to restore and renew the quay walls and bridges by creating new Revit models.