From milestone to milestone with an eye for the environment

The construction of the new A16 Rotterdam has entered the final phase. Construction consortium De Groene Boog is stringing together the milestones. One milestone has only just been reached and another is already in sight. The importance of environmental management in such a far-reaching project as the A16 Rotterdam is beyond dispute. And De Groene Boog has it down to a fine art. Because zero complaints from the surrounding area after the "open-heart surgery" over the long Ascension weekend is an achievement of stature. 

Commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat, Dura Vermeer, Mobilis, Croonwolter&dros, BESIX NL, Van Oord, Rebel and John Laing are jointly responsible for the design, construction, financing and 20-year maintenance of the A16 Rotterdam. "The work over this past Ascension weekend was initially much smaller," says Jeroen Toet, project manager on behalf of Mobilis at De Groene Boog. "We would 'only' have to enter the new artwork in the new slip road to the A16 (KW52B). Eventually we added the viaduct over the Hoofdweg (KW58). In fact, an investigation determined that the structure was at the end of its useful life and that it would be irresponsible to continue using it. So it had to be replaced, which at that time gave it quite a scope expansion. Because it is located in the middle of the A16, it is very important that the structure be replaced with as little inconvenience as possible. The first steps for that were taken over the King's Day weekend and later during the Ascension weekend."

Sample job 

KW58 is located at one of the most important and busiest junctions of the national highway network. "It is impossible to close off the A16 for any length of time. Therefore, together with the Department of Public Works, we devised a plan to divert the existing traffic via auxiliary bridges and then build the new viaduct in between. The auxiliary bridge for the southern direction of traffic was built outside the traffic flow and put into use over the King's Day weekend. On the east side, the auxiliary bridge was driven in during the Ascension weekend, for which part of the existing viaduct was demolished during the same weekend. A monster job with a lot of impact for the surrounding area and through traffic due to a 4-day closure of the A16 northbound."

Construction nuisance

For four days during the Ascension weekend, work was carried out 24 hours a day. "So that meant demolishing in the middle of the night with seven machines, vibrating sheet piling, installing piles and so on," lists Paul Eijking, environmental manager on behalf of Mobilis at De Groene Boog. "Given the nature of the work, the immediate area has been extensively prepared for the construction nuisance that could arise. In addition, based on the noise levels, we offered some 50 addresses the opportunity to spend several nights in a hotel. In the end, seven addresses took advantage of this." 

Turnpike closed for a year and a half

The commissioning of the auxiliary bridges also means that an important driveway to the A16 will be blocked for a year and a half. "Together with Rijkswaterstaat, the municipality of Rotterdam and Zuid-Holland Bereikbaar, we have already been working since March 2023 to draw the attention of the surrounding area and (regular) visitors of nearby companies to this," Eijking says. "And that has definitely paid off." Communication toward the 4-day stoppage during the Ascension weekend has also been widely taken up. "Up to even the national media," Toet says. "The impact of this kind of intervention is enormous. That alone proved the signage plan for the temporary detour routes during that weekend, which pretty much reached as far as Amsterdam. And if then there are no complaints from the surrounding area during such an operation, then you've all done well."

Military operation 

Consequently, the work over the Ascension weekend was prepared almost like a military operation, Toet says. "The amount of activity that took place that weekend was enormous: it was like an anthill. An organized anthill, that is. You can only achieve this if the cooperation in the building consortium and with all the subcontractors is optimal. Then you are also able to deal with any setbacks together. When the road then opens half an hour earlier than planned, all we can say is that it went well."

The next milestone is also already in sight. "At the end of this year, the first newly built section of KW58 will be commissioned and then, at a rapid pace, the eastern section will be built to be completed by September 2025. So we are moving at a fast pace from milestone to milestone, in which we are moving more and more to the original state of the project to be delivered. And in which we continue to include the environment all the time." Eijking concludes, "The environment knows what's going to happen, where to go and the impact of the work during each phase. We will continue to do that until the end."