What's going on?

On December 2, 2022, the municipality decided to close the Nelson Mandela Bridge and seek emergency advice from the Department of Public Works. This was in response to reports about cracks in the bridge.

As a result, it is not possible to get in and out at Zoetermeer NS station and RandstadRail stop Driemanspolder. The municipality is deploying shuttle buses for residents and travelers on both sides of the station to Zoetermeer-Oost Station.

After extensive consultation with ProRail, Rijkswaterstaat and other parties involved, it appeared that the situation is stable and under control and that the (rail) roads under the bridge can remain open.

The cracks in the bridge are monitored very closely. This way, any changes will be noticed right away. The municipality will carry out work to make the bridge structurally safe and allow it to be used for several more years. Especially prolonged cold could cause the cracks to get bigger. Therefore, this needs to be done quickly.