Nelson Mandela bridge in Zoetermeer open again after almost two months

Eight weeks after the sudden closure of the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Zoetermeer, cyclists and pedestrians can use it again. The trains also stop at the station since tonight. The bridge over the A12 was closed in early December after construction defects were discovered. There was a risk of collapse.

The bridge, which was put into use in the early 1990s, is an important connection for the city and the only way to get to Zoetermeer station. In addition to the A12, a railway line and the RandstadRail also pass under the bridge.

The bridge was immediately closed by the municipality of Zoetermeer on December 2 after an investigation showed that the construction of the bridge is too heavy for the support. As a result, it was not clear whether the bridge was safe enough. The bridge was examined because cracks in the construction had already been discovered.

In recent weeks, the part of the bridge that runs over the highway has been removed and replaced with an emergency bridge, reports Broadcasting West. Also the glass shade was partly removed. Other parts of the bridge remained standing, but were reinforced with extra posts and a steel beam.

Initially, the bridge was planned to reopen on January 15. The reopening was delayed because the support on which the emergency bridge rests had to be reinforced. That turned out to be more complicated than expected and took more time.

According to the municipality of Zoetermeer, not all work has been completed yet. For example, the work areas around the bridge still have to be cleared, a road has to be partly rerouted and a cycle path has to be made ready for cyclists again.

In addition to making the bridge safe, a plan for structural repair is also being worked on, the municipality said. “For this reason, the girders of the replaced bridge section will not be dismantled and transported, but will remain on the work site next to the A12 pending the recovery plan.”