You encounter it more often these days... Due to the consequences of the COVID-19 virus, there are fewer people on the streets. An interesting twist to this is that projects that were not immediately scheduled, but planned for the near future, are being brought forward. The public then experiences less 'inconvenience' from the effects of the work. The H.N. Werkman Bridge, the well-known bridge next to the Groninger Museum, is one such project that has been moved forward. Commissioned by the municipality of Groningen, the renovation and refurbishment work started in week 17.
Renovation and refurbishment work on H.N. Werkman bridge in Groningen
Execution of work
On Monday, April 20, our colleagues from SealteQ Noord began the work. First, the existing coating layer was sanded with low-dust diamond grinding. The entire floor area was then inspected for damaged parts and repaired where necessary. On Tuesday, April 22, the 1st coating layer was applied and sprinkled with anti-slip granules. Subsequently, the excess anti-slip granules were removed using a sweeping machine. On Wednesday, April 23, the final layer was colored. After the final layer had dried sufficiently, the colored areas were applied, as well as the expansion joints around the floor area. Once the coating had cured sufficiently, the barriers were removed. On Thursday, April 24, at 7:00 AM, the bridge could be accessed by the public again. All the aforementioned work was carried out according to schedule, without delay. After the work on the H.N. Werkman Bridge was completed, it looked as good as new.
Risks
A short walking route from the Central Station to the city center and vice versa is, of course, ideal. Taking a detour is never pleasant. This poses the risk of the public wanting to cross the bridge. To prevent the bridge from being used by the public, it was decided to close off the bridge for this project. In the evening and at night, the bridge was secured. The coating could cure during these hours. Through proper preparation, good craftsmanship, and solid and safe materials, SealteQ was able to complete the renovation according to schedule.
Film
Movere Media has created a beautiful film, including drone footage, of the renovation of the H.N. Werkman Bridge. See the result below.