Three 3D printed bicycle bridges open next to renovated Dutch highway

The renovated N243 highway between Alkmaar and Koggenland was officially opened. Over the past years, extensive work has been done to redesign the Schermerhornerweg, Middenweg, and Noordervaart (N243). With these adjustments, the road has been made safer, given a ‘greener’ appearance, and is now ready for many more years of use. For this project, Saint-Gobain Weber 3D printed three different bicycle bridges in their industrial 3D production line in Eindhoven.

The N243 runs through beautiful polder landscapes. Therefore, several bridges span the waters of that landscape. Bicycle bridges have been placed over the Beemsterringvaart, Vrouwensloot, and Jispersloot along the Schermerhornerweg (N243) to make the road safer for cyclists. These were printed with concrete in the 3D concrete printing factory of Saint-Gobain Weber.

Thanks to this innovative technique, less material is needed, and less material means reduced CO2 emissions. The 3D concrete printing technique offers further benefits. Less waste was produced during the construction process because no formwork was needed. And fewer tasks and steps were required on the construction site, resulting in significant time savings. Ultimately, special bridge railings with texts paying tribute to the Beemster and Schermer will be installed. The bridges, designed by Witteveen en Bos, do not contain reinforcement and are a perfect example of the design freedom and production speed that 3D concrete printing offers.

Deputy Jeroen Olthof of the Province of North Holland, Hein Jan Bocxe (CEO of BAM Infra Nederland), Bas Huysmans (CEO of Weber Benelux), and Willem Messchaert (dikeologist and writer of texts) performed the official opening ceremony on September 29. In the coming period, some final works will be carried out, after which the bridges will be fully ready and will enrich the landscape in all their glory for decades to come.