Plans for the dated Caland Bridge in the port of Rotterdam include a solution to prevent rail traffic and shipping obstructing each other, which will improve the flow of trains on the Betuwe Route, the dedicated goods track linking Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte directly to Germany. The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, in agreement with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and ProRail, has chosen a solution whereby rail traffic no longer crosses Caland Bridge, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said in its press release.
Caland Bridge, a steel construction built in 1969, will need to be technically restored by 2020. However, the bridge is a major traffic hub: all the trains on the Betuwe Route to and from Europoort and the Maasvlakte must cross it. Moreover, the bridge is the only entrance point for marine shipping travelling to and from Brittanniëhaven while it is also a main road for cars and heavy goods vehicles. The section of the Betuwe Route running through the port will be redirected so that rail traffic will not use Caland Bridge any more but travel along a new connection on a raised railway viaduct along Theemsweg. The bridge for road traffic will be renovated and remain in operation.
In 2013, the Dutch government announced that EUR 158 million has been put aside for the plans for Caland Bridge. Earlier this year, it became known that the European TEN-T would put up another 60 million for the solution while the Port Authority intends to contribute 80 million.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority will decide on the financial feasibility of the Theemsweg route before the end of 2015. If the Port Authority does not succeed in obtaining the finance, the Ministry will review the Theemsweg-route option. In that event, Caland Bridge will be fully renovated for use by both road and rail traffic. After renovation, the bridge should last another fifty years at least.