Beams and bridge girders for De Nieuwe Meer motorway junction

The reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer motorway junction is one of the most complex parts of the renovation of the A10 South. For a new overpass connecting the A10 South with the A4 towards Schiphol, Haitsma Beton is supplying the beams and bridge girders that form the heart of the substructure on behalf of Triax. These are prefabricated concrete elements of exceptional size, which are being transported from Friesland to Amsterdam in a logistical masterpiece. Commercial Director Hendrik Herder is proud of how Haitsma Beton is contributing to this major infrastructure project, how prefabricated elements are indispensable here, and how the collaboration with Triax and Zuidasdok is making all the difference.

The De Nieuwe Meer traffic junction has been one of the busiest traffic arteries in the Netherlands for decades. This is where the A10 South, A10 West, and A4 converge, right next to the Schinkel River and the Zuidas. With the construction of additional lanes and new structures such as a completely new overpass, the area is undergoing a fundamental change. Triax – a consortium of Dura Vermeer, Heijmans, and Besix – is carrying out the redevelopment on behalf of Zuidasdok. Zuidasdok is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Netherlands. The project will improve accessibility to Amsterdam and the northern part of the Randstad, both by road and public transport. This includes the reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer motorway junction, the Amstel motorway junction, the tunnel in the center of the Zuidas, and the redesign of Amsterdam Zuid station into a fully-fledged public transport terminal. Zuidasdok is a collaboration between Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, and the municipality of Amsterdam.

The construction conditions are challenging: limited space, complex phase planning, heavy traffic, and a hydraulic engineering environment that requires intelligent solutions. Precast concrete is a perfect fit. Herder: „There is hardly any space on the construction site to manufacture or store large elements. Precast concrete elements offer speed, safety, and control.“

Joists and beams

For the new overpass, Haitsma Beton is producing the beams that form the new substructure, as well as the heavy bridge girders that will later support the overpass. These are impressive elements, some of which weigh more than 200 tons. „These elements are both heavily reinforced and prestressed,“ says Hendrik Herder. „They contain numerous recesses that have to fit exactly onto the pillars cast on site. This requires a lot of engineering and absolute dimensional accuracy.“ The beams are concreted in a single operation and designed and manufactured entirely in-house.

Transport by water and a roll-on/roll-off quay

The logistics surrounding the transfer are at least as impressive as the elements themselves. Transport by road from Friesland was not an option due to the size and weight. Therefore, the beams and girders are being transported to Amsterdam by pontoon. „Our location on open waterways is a huge advantage here,“ says Herder. „Without water transport, this project would not be feasible in this form.“

In Amsterdam, Triax has set up a special roll-on/roll-off quay at Schinkel. As soon as the pontoons arrive, SPMTs (self-propelled modular transporters) drive under the elements, which are then driven ashore in a controlled manner and temporarily stored on a specially equipped quay. The collaboration with Sarens, which is responsible for transport and assembly, is crucial here. The moment when such a colossus weighing almost 200 tons rolls ashore is still impressive.

Assembly takes place during nighttime and weekend closures of the A10 South, depending on the construction phase and traffic safety. „Everything is planned precisely,“ says Herder. „This operation shows how well Triax manages this process.“

Collaboration with Triax

Herder also emphasizes how pleasant and professional the collaboration has been. „Triax is a client that understands what complex concrete structures require. They focus on engineering, logistics, and planning at an early stage. That helps us enormously.“

The positive response is also evident online. A video of the transport operation was shared on the Zuidasdok website and social media channels, reaching thousands of viewers. „It‘s great to see how widely this project is being discussed.“

The delivery of joists and beams for the overpass is scheduled to be completed in 2026. This will be followed by further structures within the project area. Haitsma Beton thus remains an integral part of the renovation of the A10 South.

Herder concludes: „It‘s something special to be involved in a project like this. The scope, the technical challenges, and the collaboration make this a real highlight. We are proud to be able to contribute to it.“