A24 Blankenburgverbinding
A new connection with an impact on the entire Rotterdam region. Rijkswaterstaat commissioned Ballast Nedam and consortium partners DEME and Macquarie Capital to build the new A24 Blankenburgverbinding. The contract includes the design, construction, 20 years of maintenance, and approximately 1 billion euro financing. With two junctions, a land tunnel and a tunnel beneath the river Het Scheur, we aim to improve the accessibility of the Rotterdam region and contributed to the growth of the economy.
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4 kilometre sequence of technical constructions
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945 metres long immersed tunnel
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20 years maintenance
The A24 Blankenburgverbinding at a glance
The new A24 motorway is a four-kilometre-long sequence of technical structures. Starting at the A20 in Vlaardingen, a recessed junction extends southwards, ending in a land tunnel. We then pass two viaducts and a water barrier to arrive at the technical highlight: an immersed tunnel beneath the river Het Scheur, followed by an above-ground junction with the A15 in Rozenburg. A special project in which all infrastructure disciplines come together.
Vlaardingen junction and Rozenburg junction
The A24 Blankenburgverbinding project has some literal ups and downs. On the northern side of the project lies the Vlaardingen junction, the connection between the new A24 and the existing A20. This junction will be recessed about four meters below ground level to preserve the green landscape's open character as much as possible. On the south side, the Rozenburg junction will be raised. With multiple flyovers rising eighteen meters above ground level, this junction reconnects the A24 with the A15.
A land tunnel with reinforced underwater concrete
The Hollandtunnel is fully integrated with its environment, which provided knowledge for other parts of the project. Reinforced underwater concrete will be used to meet environmental requirements. This special construction technique results in less material used and a reduction in CO2 emissions. Also, the tunnel will be built deeper, and the original grassland will be reinstated on the roof of the tunnel. We decided to start working on this technical construction part of the project to allow us to carry out tests in the tunnel and use the experience gained to construct the Maasdeltatunnel.
Immersed tunnel operations in the heart of the world's busiest shipping channel
The biggest challenge within the project will be the immersion of the two tunnel elements that together will form the Maasdeltatunnel. The entrances to the tunnel are being built on the north and south banks, while the two tunnel elements, each 200 metres long, 42 metres wide and 8 metres high, are being constructed in a dry dock not far from the Rozenburg construction site. When the construction is complete, we will begin the immersion operations in one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. After floating and transporting, the tunnel elements will be sunk to a depth of 27 metres. We will then connect the access roads to the tunnel elements and finish the tunnel. By 2024, the result will be a 945-meter traffic tunnel between Rozenburg and Vlaardingen.
A long-standing relationship with stakeholders
Good community engagement management is the basis for a project of this size. Together with our client Rijkswaterstaat, we invest in clear communication to the residents, governments, civil society organisations and the business community. We have substantive discussions, continue to engage in dialogue, and communicate on time and transparently about the work. One of the resources we use to communicate with our stakeholders is BIM. Using BIM, all parties can see how the project proceeds and what it will eventually look like.
More information?
Sander Lefevre
Managing Director Ballast Nedam Infra Projects a.i.
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