The bridge 'cut in two' on the highway, but the car still passed

Looking from above, the flow of traffic on the N302 highway disappears under the water.

Usually bridges are paths for vehicles to cross rivers or seas, but Veluwemeer Bridge is the opposite - water cuts through a road. At the bridge section, the N302 highway seems to be submerged under the surface of Lake Veluwemeer for ships to cross above.

Veluwemeer water bridge is only 25 m long, 19 m wide, about 3 m deep located in the middle of Harderwijk, east of the Netherlands. Although it did not win a world record, it is still one of the shortest water bridges in the world. Photo: QQ

Whether a turn bridge, ferry terminal or tunnel seems to be a popular option for roads running across rivers and lakes, architects dismiss these ideas when undertaking a highway project from 1998 to 2002. .

Since the N302 expressway is the main route with about 28,000 cars circulating daily, a rotating bridge or harbor would be an option. Because if you have to stop all the traffic, the road will be seriously congested. A tunnel more than 600 meters long across the lake is also not the ideal solution because it is too expensive compared to a budget of 61 million dollars to build a bridge.

N302 road connects the mainland with the world's largest man-made island Flevoland, a land formed by waters and lakes drained for the Dutch encroachment in the early 20th century.

Ultimately, the optimal option is a water bridge between Lake Veluwemeer and Lake Wolderwijd, without traffic flow at all. To prevent water from spilling onto the road, engineers use 22,000 cubic meters of concrete so that the bridge can hold water above the flow of traffic. The water system also uses steel sheet piles to prevent mud and sand from flowing into the roadway. However, this road is still at risk of being flooded during major storms.

To admire this unique structure, visitors can drive on the N302 road from Harderwijk city to Harderhaven, or vice versa. Or pedestrians can completely walk on this bridge along the highway from Harderwijk to see it and the lake views on either side.