New Kruineike Bridge sails to final location

The works for the construction of the new Kruineike Bridge over the Leuven-Dijle Canal in Tildonk (Haacht) are progressing well. Earlier, the steel structural engineer built the movable part of the new bridge in his workshop. On Saturday, May 11, the bridge section will be sailed from the assembly site to its final place and installed. A spectacular event.

The Vlaamse Waterweg nv is currently building a new (second) bridge over the Leuven-Dijle Canal in Tildonk (Haacht). Together with the existing Kruineike bridge, the new bridge forms an important part of improving access to the Hambos industrial zone, a business zone with potential for sustainable transport via the waterway. The new bridge enables the further development of the industrial zone without burdening the village centers of Haacht and Tildonk with heavy through traffic.

Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Ben Weyts: "Flanders is investing about two million euros here in more economic growth and more livability. The new bridge will be a lifeline for the Hambos industrial zone and will keep heavy traffic out of the village centers. Moreover, the inauguration of the new bridge will be an impressive feat".

Both the concrete abutment in the bank on the Wespelaar side and the bridge basement on the Tildonk side are ready. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 11, we will sail the movable bridge section into place. The steel fabricator built it earlier in his workshop and brought it in two parts to an assembly site just up the lock at Kampenhout. There, the bridge was further assembled. The movable bridge section is about 18 m long, 11 m wide and weighs about 70,000 kg.

On Saturday morning, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., the contractor will load the bridge onto a pontoon at the assembly site. He then sails the bridge via the Leuven-Dijle Canal to its new location. He positions the pontoon between the two abutments, lifts the bridge and places it in its final position after turning it over 90° (expected around noon). Saturday evening, the movable bridge section will be locked in open bridge position for the full duration of further completion.

Kruineikestraat (Wespelaar side) and the bicycle tunnels below will be closed all day. Motorists are asked to follow the road detour. A narrow above-ground passage along the closed Kruineikestraat will remain for cyclists and pedestrians.

After further construction completion, the installation of the technical facilities and final commissioning, Kruineike Street will be rerouted to the new bridge in 2020 and the existing Kruineike Bridge will be redesigned as a bicycle and pedestrian bridge.