In one motion, the bicycle bridge weighing 1,600 tons was moved into place

On the night of August 29-30, the bicycle bridge 'Tegenbosch' was placed in Eindhoven. In one fluent motion, the slender 160-meter-long bridge across the fourteen lanes of the A2/N2 was brought into place. 

Bicycle bridge 'Tegenbosch' is part of area development plan 'Eindhoven Northwest', which aims to improve the traffic flow and accessibility of the area north of the Anthony Fokkerweg. Improving accessibility is a precondition for the many economic and recreational developments in this area. Hendrik-Jan Vennix was technical advisor in the design phase and project leader in the implementation phase for the Municipality of Eindhoven. When asked about the biggest challenge, he gives a short and clear answer: "time. "A tenth of a second before the construction team tendered, the project changed from two bridges to one bridge. As a construction team, we then cut our teeth and didn't let go."

Constructive challenge

The change in brief was quite understandable. Whereas initially two bridges 200 m apart had been chosen, with advancing insight, a single bridge was chosen that could combine the functions. But it immediately put the construction team under time pressure. "In addition, the architectural design was so slim and slender that it was almost impossible to make it structurally feasible," Vennix says. 

Flawless placement

The construction of the bridge was done on site along the A2, so that it could be brought into place within a few hours and with minimal inconvenience to traffic. Vennix: "An exciting operation for which we went on a trial run on Friday. With Mammoet's heavy equipment, the bridge weighing 1600 tons and 160 meters long was lifted on Friday, moved 80 meters and prepared for the big crossing. That went off without a hitch. At that moment all tension fell off me and I knew that the placement in the upcoming night would also go smoothly."

Learn more: eindhoven.nl/northwest