The transport region and the municipality jointly pay for the bicycle bridge over the IJ
Financing for the new Oostbrug over the IJ has finally been completed. The municipality of Amsterdam and the Transport Region have jointly decided to share the costs for the construction of the bridge and to collaborate on its construction. The bicycle and pedestrian bridge, which will form a connection between Azartplein and Johan van Hasseltweg, is planned to be completed in 2034 at the earliest.
The need for the Oostbrug is clear. The IJ forms an important division between Amsterdam North and the rest of the city, and current ferry services are often overloaded. The new bridge will significantly improve the accessibility of Noord. Cyclists and pedestrians will no longer be dependent on the ferry, making for a smoother and faster journey. For (electric) cyclists, this means a time saving of approximately 10 to 12 minutes when traveling to the east side of Amsterdam.
In addition to the faster connection, the Oostbrug connect to the inner ring, the fast cycling route around the center of Amsterdam, which also gives cyclists quick access to the city center. This improvement in infrastructure is crucial as the city and region continue to grow.
The costs of constructing the bridge are estimated at around 300 million euros. The municipality of Amsterdam and the Transport Region will each pay half of this amount. In addition, the municipality has extra money reserved for creating safe routes to and from the bridge. Although the Regional Council still has to agree to this financing decision, expectations are positive.
Councilor Melanie van der Horst was pleased with the collaboration: “A fixed connection between North and the rest of the city is essential for both the residents of Amsterdam and the municipalities north of the city. We see enormous growth in the number of homes and workplaces in the region, and the number of people who want to cross the IJ every day continues to increase. The ferries can no longer cope with this growth. We expect that between 20.000 and 25.000 people will use the new bridge every day.”
Planning for the construction of the Oostbrug is already in full swing. The municipality and the Transport Region are working together with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rijkswaterstaat, the Province of North Holland, Port of Amsterdam and Central Nautical Management to further develop the plans. After the plans have been completed, a decision will be made to build and the contract will be awarded to market parties. Construction itself is expected to start in 2031, with delivery not scheduled for 2034 at the earliest.
Parallel to the plans for the East Bridge, there are also ideas for a second bridge over the IJ, the West Bridge. This bridge will form a connection between the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam North and the Danzigerkade in Amsterdam West. The West Bridge will also contribute to improved accessibility of various parts of the city and further relieve the burden on the ferry system.
These developments are of great importance for the city and the region, especially now that Amsterdam continues to grow and the number of residents and workplaces increases. The new infrastructure projects such as the East Bridge and the future West Bridge play a crucial role in accommodating this growth and improving mobility for both residents and visitors.
