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The new road bridge over the Albert Canal in Wijnegem has been nominated for the biennial BENELUX Steel Bridge Contest, with the winners to be announced on 11 February. Within the Arcadis\u2013Sweco consortium, we played a key role in this project, taking on responsibilities such as modelling and the structural analysis of the slender steel bridge structure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Landmark Over the Albert Canal<\/h2>\n
The road bridge in Wijnegem is one of two bridges replacing the iconic \u201cbanana bridge\u201d. It is an essential piece of the larger redevelopment and transformation of the canal area downstream of the Wijnegem lock. The project was delivered thanks to an intensive, multidisciplinary collaboration<\/a> between De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and the Arcadis\u2013Sweco consortium, who engaged ZJA Architects & Engineers for the architectural design.<\/p>\n
For this subproject, Sweco took on a wide range of tasks:<\/h3>\n
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the full mobility concept, including traffic impact mitigation and traffic simulations<\/a>,<\/li>\n
modelling and structural design of the steel bridge structure,<\/li>\n
the design of the drainage system,<\/li>\n
preparation of permit applications,<\/li>\n
support with the tender documentation,<\/li>\n
and construction supervision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"Wegbrug$ \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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A Renewed Canal Zone for Wijnegem<\/h2>\n
With the completion of the new road bridge, the first major connection across the Albert Canal in Wijnegem is now in place. The project marks an important milestone in the broader redevelopment of the canal zone. In early 2026, work will be in full swing upstream on the completion of the new cycling and pedestrian bridge, which will significantly strengthen sustainable mobility<\/a>. Meanwhile, the quay infrastructures are being connected and refined to prepare the entire area for use. The former construction zones and assembly sites will be transformed into green, high\u2011quality public spaces, gradually reshaping the project area into an attractive landscape along the Albert Canal.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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Awards for Top\u2011Level Steel Engineering<\/h2>\n
With this competition, the trade journals Infosteel (Belgium) and Bouwen met Staal (the Netherlands) aim to highlight outstanding bridge projects. They reward achievements\u2014from fixed bridges to movable structures\u2014that excel in design, craftsmanship, and innovative steel applications. The initiative aims to inspire and motivate clients, architects, engineers, steel builders, and other project partners to embrace smart steel and steel\u2011concrete solutions in infrastructure.<\/p>\n
For this edition, project teams could submit bridges completed or commissioned between 2023 and 2025. From 49 entries, a six\u2011member jury selected 10 nominations for the biennial award. The road bridge in Wijnegem is among the nominees in Category A \u2013 Road Bridges.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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<\/h2>\n
Inland Shipping Four Containers High on the Albert Canal<\/h2>\n
Sweco and Arcadis support De Vlaamse Waterweg nv in its mission to raise all bridges over the Albert Canal to a clearance height of 9.10 metres, enabling inland vessels to safely and efficiently pass with four stacked container layers.<\/p>\n
We carried out the preliminary study and continue to follow up the PPS\u2011DBFM bridges during execution. When we joined the project in 2014, only half of the 62 bridges met the required clearance. The Wijnegem bridge became the final piece of this large\u2011scale upgrading programme.<\/p>\n
With the removal of the old bridge in Wijnegem in 2024, the project\u2019s objective was fully achieved. Since then, the Albert Canal has been fully accessible across Flanders for inland shipping with four\u2011layer container transport.<\/p>\n
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Visualisations: \u00a9 ZJA \/\/ <\/em>Photos: \u00a9 De Vlaamse Waterweg nv<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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Other News<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"zicht$ \t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLiveable cities, Health & Wellbeing, Climate Adaptation & Resilience, Low-impact Buildings<\/span>22\/07\/2026<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Building with nature: how architecture and biodiversity go hand in hand<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"mensen$ \t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClimate Adaptation & Resilience, Liveable Cities<\/span>17\/07\/2026<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
European cities join forces to create circular, climate-neutral neighbourhoods<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"Overstromingen$ \t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClimate Adaptation & Resilience, Klimaatadaptatie & -bestendigheid<\/span>14\/07\/2026<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The 2021 floods: five years later, the foundations for a resilient transition<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
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Building with nature: how architecture and biodiversity go hand in hand<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

European cities join forces to create circular, climate-neutral neighbourhoods<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t