Sustainable noise barrier

In the woods on the dune edge of Soestduinen, a luxurious new housing estate is being built: the Heeren van Beaufort. However, the district is adjacent to a railroad line. Commissioned by project developer RV&O, Knipscheer Rail-Infra is realizing a sustainable noise barrier on the property border with ProRail. A unique assignment since it is not the railroad manager but the project developer who is the client.

Construction work related or adjacent to the railroad normally goes directly through ProRail, begins company manager Arjan Beens of Knipscheer Rail-Infra. "In this case, RV&O contacted ProRail. The rail operator agreed to have the noise barrier built by an expert contractor. We completely relieved the project developer of this, from the coordination regarding the permits and the relocation of cables and pipes to the construction of the noise barrier itself that meets all the requirements set by ProRail."

On the resident side, the coir superstructure will be planted.

220-meter-long sound barrier

The noise barrier is 220 meters long and 2.5 meters high. Says Beens, "The structure consists of steel H profiles with a concrete plinth and a superstructure in coir and green elements. The latter is in line with the project developer's vision of creating a sustainable screen. On the rail side, the screen meets ProRail's visual requirements: a flat green screen, while on the residents' side, the coir superstructure is provided with planting. As part of citizen participation, it has been agreed that residents will provide for the maintenance of the planting." The noise screen was completed in a four-week time frame, including the relocation of cables and pipes. "Technically the screen is not very challenging, unique to this project is mainly the contracting. Because the project developer immediately engaged an expert contractor, they were relieved on all fronts. They satisfied, ProRail satisfied, residents satisfied and we satisfied."