The bridge over the Van Starkenborg Canal was hit in September 2018. Since then, there has been a lack of clarity about the government’s plans for the bridge.
According to the ministry, it has now been agreed that the municipality of Groningen will repair the bridge. This is done in the form of a ten meter high bridge. The government is contributing 8.6 million euros to its construction. Both the municipality of Groningen and local residents have been urging for some time to replace the now removed bridge.
‘Continue to fight for a movable bridge’
Resident Stephan Bauman of the action group Brug T’rug is in two minds. ‘I am very happy that there will be another bridge, but the bridge that was chosen is painful. There are people who are less able to cross a high bridge. That was the beauty of the bridge that was there, it was accessible. We will keep fighting for a movable bridge. ‘
Concerns about accessibility for cyclists
“This is better than no solution,” says Tom Rustebiel, group chairman of D66 in the Groningen city council. ‘But a request has been made for the connection to be restored. This means that you must also have an eye for the bicycle connection that was the Paddepoelsterbrug. And I don’t think you will get it back for this money and with a meter high bridge. That is very disappointing. ‘
‘We have to let this affect us for a while. It also has to be discussed in the House of Representatives, ‘says Rustebiel.
Mayor Schuiling expressed irritation
Mayor Koen Schuiling of Groningen addressed the ministry by letter earlier this month. He expressed his irritation about the lengthy process. ‘We would like to emphasize that we are very unhappy with the way in which the government is operating in the demand to repair this bridge,’ Schuiling wrote.
Schuiling wrote the letter to fellow party member Van Nieuwenhuizen (VVD) to argue why the bridge is important. That he had to do that actually shot him in the wrong way.
‘The fact that we, as local authorities, are now being asked to argue the construction of a bridge, which was actually there and which has disappeared thanks to a collision, is turning the world upside down for us.’
Next year clarity about the future of Gerrit Krolbrug
The ministry expects to make a decision about the future of the Gerritkrolbrug in the city ‘mid-2021’. Rijkswaterstaat will replace the bridge at the end of the Korreweg because it is worn out and because the Lemmer-Delfzijl waterway is being upgraded. For example, the ministry is investing 118 million euros to replace the industrial operation of locks and bridges on the entire Lemmer-Zelfzijl waterway.
This post has been supplemented with responses from Stephan Bauman and Tom Rustebiel.
Also read:
– Mayor in letter to minister: ‘Not returning Paddepoelsterbrug not an option’
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