While you enjoy the summer and perhaps your vacation, work is progressing steadily in Steyl on the construction of the self-closing water barrier. The gates for the self-closing Vlotterkering® have been manufactured by Hollandia Infra. In the factory, they were tilted and then loaded onto a truck for transport to Limburg.
The tilting and transport of the gates occurs in batches of two gates at a time, spread over several days. This approach allows sufficient time in Limburg to receive the gates, as they are immediately installed at the hinge points upon arrival at the construction site.
On Tuesday, July 30, the first gates were installed. This is a remarkable project; here are some facts and figures:
- By August 9, 12 gates (i.e., barrier segments) will have been hoisted into place
- The final 2 gates will be installed later in the cycle path
- Each gate weighs 11 tons
- Each gate is equipped with 3 EPS floatation bodies, each weighing 300 kilograms
- Each gate operates with four hinges
- The gates collectively form a barrier of 134 meters
The Dijkzone Alliance (Ploegam, Dura Vermeer, and Hollandia Infra) is constructing a unique self-closing Vlotterkering® on behalf of Waterschap Limburg. This functional innovation will protect the Limburg monastery village and its hinterland from high water, while also creating a beautiful recreational area for the village—a balcony overlooking the Maas.
