Merwede Bridge closed again to freight traffic due to safety concerns

The Merwede Bridge on the A27 highway near Gorinchem has been closed to freight traffic since Saturday afternoon due to safety concerns. Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch road authority, announced that investigations have revealed weaknesses in the bridge's arch construction, making it unsafe for heavy vehicles.

“

the structural safety of the bridge for heavy traffic can no longer be guaranteed.

According to Rijkswaterstaat, the steel in the bridge's arch is less strong than previously assumed. This could lead to "overload" and cause steel plates to deform under high pressure. The duration of the closure is currently unknown and will depend on further investigations. The bridge, built in the 1960s, is nearing the end of its lifespan, similar to many other bridges and tunnels in the Netherlands. The issue was discovered during preparatory work for a planned large-scale renovation, which includes demolishing and replacing the current structure, with the western section of the new bridge expected to open in 2031.

“

overload

This closure marks the second time the Merwede Bridge has been restricted for freight traffic, following a similar closure in 2016 due to hairline cracks in the arch. At that time, a report by consultancy firm Berenschot warned that the bridge could have collapsed within six days, drawing parallels to the Morandi Bridge disaster in Genoa. The current closure is expected to increase traffic congestion, especially on the A16 and A15 highways, which intersect with the A27 near Gorinchem. This adds to a series of planned infrastructure maintenance projects across the country, including work on the Papendrecht Bridge, the Noord Tunnel, the Drecht Tunnel, and the Van Brienenoord Bridge.

“

under high pressure will deform.