In Netherlands there is a unique ‘reverse bridge’ (Veluwemeer Aquedict)

The Veluwemeer Aqueduct is a marvel of engineering and architecture. It opened in 2002. Engineers used a different approach. They built a water bridge so that cars and boats could go over or under each other.

The aqueduct is on the other side of the N302 road from the same-named lake. The path that links Flevoland, the world’s largest man-made island, to the rest of the Netherlands is interesting on its own. Flevoland was built on land that had been used for something else. It is surrounded by three lakes that were made by people. This island is made up of two drained areas called Flevopolder and Noordoostpolder. Together, they make up the province of Flevoland, which is 374.5 square miles and 970 square kilometres. Engineers chose to build the waterway above the N302 road, which sees about 28,000 cars every day, when they were making the unusual bridge structure.

How does the Veluwemeer Aqueduct water bridge work?

The Veluwemeer Aqueduct is a deep water bridge that is 9.83 feet 3 metres  long. This makes it safe and easy for small boats and other vessels with a shallow draught to cross the road. On both sides of the road, there are walkways that make it possible for people on foot and boats to cross. The road also has marked bike lanes. Unlike drawbridges and other kinds of road construction, the water bridge is built so that cars can drive on the road and over the aqueduct without stopping. Most of the N302 road’s crossing of the lake is above the water on man-made embankments. However, the road briefly goes below the lake’s surface on the aqueduct, which is 55.7 feet below the water 17 m. Around 1,3212 feet 400 m northwest of the aqueduct, the N302 crosses the lake again, but this time on a more traditional bridge. Because the Northeast Polder and Flevoland were not completely connected to the Dutch mainland, fourteen so-called “bordering lakes” formed in the area. Veluwemeer is one of these lakes. The lake system was built in the first place to help control the water table and water level in the area. The lakes are now well-established and serve as important natural reserves, notably for waterfowl, as well as recreational areas for residents. The lake was named after the Gelderland district of Veluwe, which is right to its south, and the aqueduct was named after the lake it serves. The Veluwemeer Aqueduct was built with steel sheet piling and 776,922 cubic feet and 22,000 cubic metres of concrete..

What was the Veluwemeer Aqueduct built for?

During the construction phase of the project, drawbridges, ferries, and tunnels were all looked at as possible ways to get the road across the lake. The creative idea of building a small aqueduct over the road, on the other hand, was chosen instead. Since the N302 is a major road, it was decided that using a drawbridge or ferry to stop traffic wouldn’t work and wouldn’t be practical. A tunnel was another choice, but it would have taken more time and cost more money than the aqueduct that was chosen.