450-meter-long crossing of viaduct over Terbregseplein complete

The A16 Rotterdam, a new highway north of Rotterdam connecting the A13 and A16 motorways, is being built on behalf of the Department of Public Works. Part of the new highway is a 450-meter-long viaduct over the Terbregseplein interchange near Rotterdam. In February 2023, after 15 months, the last part of the viaduct (1 direction of travel) was already pushed into its final position. During the weekend of Aug. 19 and 20, the crossing was completed with the hoisting into place of 10 prefabricated concrete girders weighing 100,000 kilograms each. The girders were placed over the Rotterdam - Gouda railroad line at Rotterdam and form the last part of the southern alignment of the viaduct. This required a decommissioning of the track.

Two heavy mobile cranes lifted the girders off a truck piece by piece. Before that, the truck drove over the first part of the viaduct, up to the railroad line. Each girder is 30 meters long and 1.3 meters wide. It succeeded in hoisting the heavy girders straight off the truck and laying them exactly in place over the railroad overhead line. A huge precision job.

Other construction method

The main part of the viaduct over Terbregseplein was slowly slid over the interchange over 15 months, while traffic on the highway underneath continued as usual. At the end of February, the last part of the viaduct (towards Breda) using the special sliding method over the Terbregseplein. This is a method in which a complete bridge deck is "launched" in parts from one side to the other. The road deck parts are made on location and slid over the junction in parts from that location. This method requires far fewer closures, and reduces disruption to traffic.  

Building further

With the laying of the girders, the viaduct is not yet finished. We still have to connect the girders of this part of the viaduct to the shifted part of the viaduct. The viaduct is also still being finished with joints, asphalt, lines and guard rails, among other things. Since February we have also started the sliding operation for the adjacent road surface in the direction of Delft/The Hague (A13). In the summer of 2024, the second road surface is expected to arrive at the railroad and after the summer, girders for this road surface will also be laid over the railroad and finishing can be started.

New highway: A16 Rotterdam

Rijkswaterstaat is working on the A16 Rotterdam: a new highway between the A13 and A16 motorways. The 11-kilometer connection is the world's first energy-neutral freeway with a tunnel. The A16 Rotterdam should contribute to better accessibility and livability of Rotterdam and Lansingerland. At the end of 2025, the A16 Rotterdam will become operational.