Questions and answers Nelson Mandela Bridge
When will the Nelson Mandela Bridge reopen?
On Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., the Nelson Mandela Bridge will reopen to pedestrians and cyclists. NS trains will also resume stopping at the Zoetermeer station. Starting Friday, January 27, 2023, the RandstadRail will resume stopping at the Driemanspolder stop.
Can I drive under the bridge now?
Yes, the A12 has been open to traffic in both directions again since 11:45 p.m. on Friday, December 30, 2022.
Starting Monday, January 2, 2023, at 8:00 a.m., the northbound lane of Zuidweg toward Afrikaweg will be closed. A detour route is marked with signs. For more information, see “Traffic Impact.”
Can I take the train now?
The trains are running, but it is not possible to get on and off at NS station Zoetermeer. On Thursday 26 January, 19:00 this will be possible again.
Can I travel with RandstadRail now?
The RandstadRail is running, but it is not possible to board or disembark at the Driemanspolder RandstadRail stop. This will be possible again on Friday, January 27, 2023.
Can I take the bus now?
The buses are running, but the Arriva bus stop Mandelabrug on the A12 has been closed.
Also, starting Monday, December 19, 2022, the bus stop at Zoetermeer Station in Rokkeveen will be out of service. This will affect several bus routes. There will be temporary alternative stops and route changes. Read more under “Impact on Public Transportation.”
Are there shuttle buses?
Yes. Between 5:30 and 1:30 there are buses from the squares on both the Rokkeveense side and the Driemanspolder side to Station Zoetermeer-Oost. The buses do not have fixed departure times, but you do not have to wait long for a bus. In about 10 minutes it is back at the departure point.
The bridge will reopen on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. NS trains will then resume stopping at Zoetermeer Station. Starting Friday, January 27, the RandstadRail will resume stopping at the Driemanspolder stop. Starting Friday, January 27, the shuttle buses will no longer operate.
Is there a guarded bicycle shed?
The guarded bicycle shed at Zoetermeer Station is open. Here you can take the shuttle bus to Zoetermeer-Oost Station to board the train.
When can I walk or cycle across the bridge again?
This will be available again starting Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.
How do I get to the other side of the A12 by bike?
Cycling is not possible over the Nelson Mandela Bridge. The advice is to use the Balij Bridge, 1st Stationsstraat or Rokkeveenseweg-Zuid. From Thursday 26 January, 19:00, the Nelson Mandela Bridge will be open to cyclists again.
I am a business owner near the Nelson Mandela Bridge. Where can I go with questions?
You can contact business coach Irma de Graaff via imde.Graaff@zoetermeer.nl .
Previously, January 1, 2023 was the hard deadline by which the measures had to be taken. Is it still safe if it is now later?
In the advisory report of Rijkswaterstaat, 1 January 2023 is mentioned as the latest date for taking measures. Unfortunately, it will take longer to complete the work for the support of the bridge. The crack formation in the bridge is continuously monitored and the alarm will remain in place so that, if necessary, Rijkswaterstaat and all other parties can be warned in time if changes occur.
In addition, we can now predict the temperature for January better. We continuously monitor the development of the cracks. This keeps the situation under control. From the monitoring, we can see whether changes occur and we can take timely measures in consultation with Rijkswaterstaat and all other parties if necessary.
Why does the bridge section go away from the A12 and not above the train track?
By dismantling the bridge deck and the canopy above the A12, it is not necessary to place a support structure on the emergency lanes of the A12. This means that the emergency lanes in the direction of Utrecht/The Hague can remain in use. People will slow down sooner if they see a structure on the emergency lane, which will worsen the flow of traffic.
For the railway track, the work to completely dismantle the canopy would have a long-term impact on the public transport infrastructure. By only dismantling the canopy and the bridge deck above the A12, the impact on public transport is limited.
What will happen to the Nelson Mandela Bridge in the future?
The municipality and the City Architect believe that the bridge has a high cultural-historical value. It is a very important building from the Post 65 period (1965-1990). Both the architecture of the bridge, designed by Johan Bak, and the reason for its construction, the construction of Rokkeveen in combination with the arrival of the Floriade, make it an icon of Zoetermeer. This icon has often been used in the past as a logo of Zoetermeer and has an important meaning for its residents.
In the coming weeks, the bridge section above the A12 will be removed, including that part of the glass roof. It is still being investigated whether the roof can remain on the other bridge sections. Once all work on the bridge has been completed, the bridge will be safe for the next few years. In the meantime, we are continuing to work on the plans that have been in place for a new bicycle bridge and bus stops above the A12. This could be ready in three years. After that, the plan is to sustainably restore the Nelson Mandela Bridge and use it for pedestrians and as a station hall. The reuse of the glass roof is also included in this planning.
Can I see some of the work being done?
We have a photographer who regularly takes pictures. Look at Photos . The webcam that showed the bridge and the highway from the start of the work has been removed. A video of the webcam images will follow soon. A drone video was made of the removal of the bridge section above the A12 on December 29, 2022, go to Nelson Mandela Bridge .