Renewal of movable bridges in full swing
De Vlaamse Waterweg nv is rebuilding 17 movable bridges spread across the waterway network in Flanders over the coming years. This is part of the Flemish Asset Management Program ‘OverBruggen’ to renovate, renew, or modernize fixed and movable bridges at an accelerated pace. Sweco plays crucial roles within the ‘Beweegbare kunstwerken’ project team. IPV Delft is responsible for the architectural design.
Zandbergen lift bridge, Geraardsbergen © De Vlaamse Waterweg nv
De Vlaamse Waterweg nv is stepping up its approach to replace movable bridges that are due for replacement. Through a public-private partnership (PPP), the 17 selected movable bridges will be replaced throughout Flanders by the end of 2030. For this assignment, a design process will be initiated in consultation with local authorities and all relevant administrations.
Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works: “In addition to bridge renewal, this project also offers the opportunity to increase local traffic safety and livability in collaboration with local authorities and address any traffic flow issues around the bridges.”
Integrated teamwork
Sweco is responsible for project and process guidance, spatial integration, technical design, BIM, risk management, cost estimation, minimizing inconvenience, project secretariat, execution monitoring, and additional research. We support the design with our engineering expertise, ensuring that form and function go hand in hand.
Inge Vervaet, Specialist at the Project Management North team: “Sweco works within an integrated team with De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and De Werkvennootschap. Through this close collaboration, we are involved in nearly the entire project chain, from concept development to placement as a DBFM contract in the market and follow-up during execution until availability. We follow the principle of assigning tasks to the expert best equipped for them. Moreover, Sweco provides proactive support in case of capacity challenges.”
Photo Credit: Willemsbrug, Grimbergen © Wikipedia
Sustainable upgrade
Since these bridges are also part of the ‘Remote Operation’ program, they will be equipped simultaneously with the necessary installations to enable remote operation. This will allow De Vlaamse Waterweg nv to stay on track with its goal of remotely operating all its movable structures (bridges, locks, weirs, and pumping stations) from 2032 onwards.
Despite differences in bridge locations and dimensions, this DBFM project is particularly suitable for standardization. By designing, engineering, and constructing the bridges in series, the expectation is that the project can be executed efficiently and economically. Standardization contributes to the sustainability goals of the De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and enhances the recognizability of the bridges in Flanders.
Sustainability means, on the one hand, that the technical foundation for the bridges will be largely the same in many aspects. This allows us to easily adapt the bridge design to each location and enables the construction of new bridges relatively quickly. On the other hand, it means that long-term maintenance is consistent, and components can be easily replaced.