“Aluminum Bridge in Amsterdam Center Closed for Maintenance, Causing Chaos in Busy Cycle Route”

For safety reasons, the municipality leaves the wearing course of the Aluminum Bridge refresh. Cyclists and motorists coming from the Stopera could not simply take a bridge further during the morning rush hour, because a construction company had cordoned off part of the Kloveniersburgwal for other work with a cherry picker at a building.

“I don’t think it’s safe,” said a cyclist about the work with the cherry picker. “It’s better to unload those pallets on Sunday. So that I can go to work.” Those who then turned around and tried to end up on the Kloveniersburgwal again, encountered other work on the Raamgracht. According to the signs, the greenery was being worked on there.

By mid-morning, the construction company on the Kloveniersburgwal was ready and it was possible to continue driving and cycling, which in turn led to extra crowds on and around the Oost-Indische Huisbrug. “Everyone cycles against traffic,” said one cyclist. “Me too. There’s no other way. Be careful.”

For taxi drivers it is yet another closure. “It’s not a city anymore. It’s a prison,” said one of them. Another referred to an earlier taxi demonstration on Dam Square. “It’s like what that man said, fine on the right, fine on the left. It’s making me sick as hell. I almost want to quit my job as a taxi driver, really.”

The work on the bridge will continue until Friday, between seven in the morning and five in the afternoon. Today there was a lot of noise, but the rest of the week should be less.