Renovation of 80-year-old Waal bridge in Nijmegen

The Waal bridge is Nijmegen is in need of renovation. The concrete deck must be replaced and repair and strengthening of the steel structure is needed. There will be a new bridge layout and maintenance and painting work will follow. In addition, the bridge will receive new lighting and railings. Everything is necessary to keep the bridge moving smoothly and safely into the future. Contractor combination Team Waalbrug started this renovation at the end of March on behalf of Rijkswaterstaat.

Johan van Erk, environment manager Team Waalbrug, says: "Team Waalbrug is a Royal VolkerWessels combination consisting of KWS and VolkerRail. Smits Neuchâtel, BKB Infra, Van Straten geleidrail, Westo, Holland Scherm and Vialis are partners in the project. Within this team all the knowledge and expertise is present to bring such a challenging job to a successful conclusion." 

Special work methodology
In mid-2018, renovation of the bridge had to be postponed due to the detection of chromium-6. Additional measures were needed, to carry out the work safely for employees, road users, local residents and the environment. Other permits, exemptions, notifications and work and safety plans were also needed. "Now that all that has been addressed, we have really started. The concrete deck is being replaced first. We have devised a special work methodology where four 9-by-6-meter concrete sections are replaced per week (a total of 164 sections). In this way, the bridge will be finished section by section."

A bridge with a lot of history
"The renovation to a monumental bridge is of course really special! This old object (built in 1936) was partly in the water during the war and was partly rebuilt by the German occupiers in which the current concrete driving deck was applied. The combination of concrete and steel on this bridge with so much history makes it fun and unique. The design will be returned to its original state as much as possible. During the renovation, the bridge must remain in operation for both road traffic and shipping. In addition, you are working with many different disciplines in a small space. All in all, a challenging job that we are happy to take on. If we can integrate the repair work, which we do not yet have a full view of, into our working method in a good way and soon have a good quality concrete deck within the specified time, then we can proudly complete another project," Johan concludes.