Emergency, temporary and permanent modular bridge solutions

Operating from ‘s-Hertogenbosch and represented by agencies in England, Germany, France, Spain and other countries, Retro Bridge is one of Europe's leading suppliers of rapidly assembled modular bridge systems. Emergency, temporary and permanent solutions, all manufactured in the Netherlands, comply with the latest guidelines and are delivered to a variety of project locations. For example in Leiden, where Retro Bridge installed two temporary bridge constructions around the reconstruction of the important N206 motorway.

At Retro Bridge, founded in 2007, quality, diversity and volume are paramount. With a company inventory of approximately 20,000 tons of modern bridge equipment and parts, the company has everything needed to fill any temporary bridge project. Anywhere in the world. One of the projects currently in focus is the reconstruction of the N206 ring road on the south side of Leiden. A project being realized under the direction of main contractor Boskalis Netherlands, to which Retro Bridge is making a significant contribution. “The whole area around the N206-Europaweg and the Lammenschansplein will be transformed,” says Marcel Kuijs, who as project manager on behalf of Retro Bridge is closely involved in the physical implementation in the field. “In addition to a thorough renovation of the roadways, the Lammebrug and Trekvlietbrug will also be replaced in the process. In fact, both are at the end of their lifespan. To allow traffic to pass through during the work, we have provided two temporary bridge structures. These will remain in place until completion in 2027.”

Appropriate interpretation

The solutions provided by Retro Bridge in Leiden not only confirms the size of its rental fleet. The company also proves that it is always able to draw a suitable response to demand. “The 34.5-meter long bridge that has been spanning the Trekvliet at Delftse Jaagpad and Lammenschansplein since July is of the Retro Heavy Bridge type, RHB for short,” said Kuijs. “A variant that is the perfect solution for large spans and heavy loads.”

At the site where the Lamme Bridge now lies, an approximately 150-meter-long bridge of the Retro Light Bridge (RLB) type connects the banks of the Rhine-Schie Canal. This structure consists of a total of three spans of 31.5 meters and two of 27 meters. Elements that, like all other solutions devised by Retro Bridge, were carefully assembled at the company's spacious yard. “From there, they were transported to Leiden and assembled by our people into a high-quality, operationally reliable unit,” Kuijs concludes.