The reinforcement of Oranjebrug no longer meets the standard, which can cause sudden damage

The Oranjebrug in Utrecht is closed because the reinforcement, or the reinforcement in the concrete, in part of the deck no longer meets current standards. Although there is currently no damage, the municipality believes this could occur suddenly. It is now being investigated which measures are necessary to ensure that the bridge complies with legislation and regulations again.

In 2012, The Hague decided that all buildings in the Netherlands must be ‘demonstrably suitable for their function’. This meant that all constructions had to be checked. In addition, the Municipal Executive writes that the post-war bridges, among other things, are very outdated. “The intensity (quantity) and weight of road traffic has increased significantly in recent decades, which was not anticipated in the design standards of the past.”

Reinforcement

The Orange Bridge was built in 1957 and recently checked. That investigation showed that in part of the concrete bridge deck the reinforcement does not meet the current standard for traffic loads. “Although no damage such as cracking has currently been detected, we have determined that damage can suddenly occur with consequences for road safety.”

The bridge is therefore a precaution on Monday April 22 closed. It is now being investigated which measures are necessary to ensure that the Oranjebrug once again complies with current legislation and regulations. Once these measures have been taken, motorists no longer have to take a detour via the Vondelbrug or the Socrates Bridge. The bridge is now expected to be closed for a number of months.

Other bridges

It was not only the Oranjebrug that no longer met current standards. For example, in 2022 the Marnix Bridge was reinforced with a new reinforced concrete pressure layer and heavy traffic has not been allowed to cross the Mozart Bridge since 2023. The Mozart Bridge, as well as a number of quay walls that emerged in the research, is also being closely monitored.

The investigation into the structures is still ongoing. “Based on the results of the studies already carried out, we can increasingly estimate what we can expect for the rest of the area and, if necessary, adjust our prioritization accordingly.”