City Begins Tender Process for Replacement of the Valkebruggen Bridges

This week, the municipality of Voorschoten began the bidding process to replace the bridges on Valkeweg. According to the plan, the replacement will be carried out later this year. Various instances of damage have been reported over the years, including severe damage to the bridge deck in 2018. This damage is caused, among other things, by the volume and weight of road traffic.

Councilwoman Erika Spil (Public Space Management): “By replacing the Valkebruggen with a sturdier bridge that can better withstand the strain of road traffic, we are solving the current problems and better preparing for the future. We expect that this will ultimately result in lower management and maintenance costs in the long term.”

Background

Over the years, the bridges on Valkeweg have shown increasing signs of damage. After extensive research, it became clear that the design principles used when these bridges were built no longer align with the current situation. The bridges are too light for today’s road traffic, so damage will continue to occur. For this reason, the municipality has been exploring a long-term solution. Several alternatives were considered, including the installation of a culvert structure. However, due to costs and the loss of the bridges’ cultural and historical value, it was decided not to proceed with this alternative.

Communication with Local Residents

The replacement of the Valkebruggen is a major project, which will inevitably require the road to be closed for a certain period of time. The municipality will inform local residents about the duration and next steps of the process as soon as the contractor has been selected. This is expected to be announced around May. The bidding process for this project has already begun. The municipality intends to carry out and complete the replacement work before the end of this year.