Pien Niehe
Europe Press Office,Amsterdam
Last week the new Moreelse Bridge has been officially opened to the public, providing a key link in the cyclists' road network of Utrecht.
The opening ceremony was held by children from the nearby school and officially declared to be open by alderman Everhardt and region director of ProRail Cees de Vries.
Creating an extra connection over the rail tracks, the bicycle and pedestrian bridge is an important link. We delivered the building services design, lighting design and vertical transport advice, in close collaboration with cepezed architects, supporting their simple and pragmatic concept of the bridge as much as possible.
The bridge is more of a tree esplanade than a rail bridge. We integrated the lighting into the bridge railing, preventing light towers and blinding the train drivers. For the trees we delivered water drainage solutions. We integrated drainage, water supply and electrical distribution in the bridge deck.
With a length of nearly 300m and a width of 10m, the bridge links the Croeselaan, between the Rabobank and the 'Knoop Barracks', to the Moreelse Park. The design takes the option of adding staircases to the platforms in the future into consideration.