Salt spreaders allowed across Merwede Bridge this winter
◆1 source
Rijkswaterstaat said on X that salt spreaders are allowed to cross the Merwede Bridge this winter in icy conditions, despite the bridge being closed to trucks.
Truck stuck on cycle path of Merwede Bridge
3 sources
A truck driver drove onto the cycle path of the Merwede Bridge on the A27 between Gorinchem and Sleeuwijk on Tuesday afternoon and became stuck. Road inspectors and police attended, and police escorted the truck off the bridge. It was unclear how the driver had reached the cycle path. Trucks and coaches have been barred from using the bridge since mid-July because of its condition. Later that afternoon, a cyclist fell on the bridge, temporarily closing a right-hand lane and causing delays from Breda of up to 90 minutes. Rijkswaterstaat said the fall was unrelated to the truck, which did not hit the cyclist.
Investigation into 16 Dutch bridges with vulnerable prestressing steel
11 sources
Follow the Money reported that 16 Dutch bridges and viaducts contain prestressing steel that may be susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, which can cause steel wires embedded in concrete to fail. The number rose from 13 after Rijkswaterstaat identified three additional structures. A single report said that recommended inspections, material checks, recalculations and monitoring had not been fully carried out; Rijkswaterstaat said it had implemented or was implementing many measures and that the structures are monitored. Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karremans acknowledged that not all recommendations had yet been implemented, citing the time needed for the work and new findings. He said available information provides no indication of an acute safety risk, though damage in sections that have not been examined cannot be fully excluded. Rijkswaterstaat is continuing investigations and monitoring, including laboratory testing and further samples from the West Viaduct over the A9 at Uitgeest; initial tests there found no indication that the viaduct is unstable.