Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) has definitively awarded Royal Heijmans the contract for the renovation of the Houtribcomplex near Lelystad. The project will be carried out under a two-phase contract, with Rijkswaterstaat and Heijmans jointly developing the project approach and technical solutions before construction begins. The total contract value is around € 250 million.
Key points
- The project will be carried out under a two-phase contract in collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat.
- The total value of the contract for both phases is around € 250 million.
- The Houtribcomplex is a crucial link for both shipping and water management in the Netherlands.
- The project builds on the successful collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat on the renovation of the Koninginnensluis in Nieuwegein.
The renovation ensures that this important shipping connection and water management facility is prepared for the future. The assignment includes the renovation of the lock chambers, the moveable steel bridges and the discharge sluices. The project is part of Rijkswaterstaat’s national infrastructure renewal programme and belongs to the infrastructural projects that were recently marked for renewal by Minister Vincent Karremans of Infrastructure and Water Management. Weight restrictions are currently in place for heavy goods vehicles crossing the bridges. Inspections showed that parts of the moveable bridges at the site have developed cracks and that the concrete has aged.
Heijmans CEO Ton Hillen:
“With the definitive awarding of the contract for the Houtribcomplex, Rijkswaterstaat and Heijmans are taking the next step in renewing vital infrastructure in the Netherlands. We are building on our experience gained from renovating the Koninginnensluis. By applying lessons learned and proven solutions, we can work more efficiently, avoid duplication of effort and deploy our people more effectively. The two-phase approach allows us to minimise the shared risk and work towards a future-proof solution for this crucial site. This is how we are contributing to safe and reliable infrastructure for shipping and water management.”
Role in water management
The Houtribcomplex lies on the Houtribdijk between Lelystad and Enkhuizen and is an essential link in the shipping route between Amsterdam and the Northern Netherlands. About 50,000 ships pass by the site every year. This means that it fulfils an important function for both professional and recreational water traffic. The complex consists of two navigation locks and discharge sluices that regulate water flows between the Markermeer and the IJsselmeer.
The planned renovation will ensure that the site will remain safe, reliable and accessible in the coming decades. This is how the project makes an important contribution to the accessibility of the Netherlands, the continuity of shipping and a robust water management system.
Role of Heijmans
For Heijmans, this concerns a repeat assignment within the Connecting business segment and falls within the same portfolio as the renovation of the Koninginnensluis in Nieuwegein. That project shows that the two-phase approach is an effective way to make complex renovation projects manageable, gain early insight into risks and arrive at optimal solutions together. The knowledge and experience gained from the collaboration on the Koninginnensluis form a solid basis for the Houtribcomplex works.
Contact us