A bridge with a past, a project of the future. That is the Betlembrug for you. We are standing before the Betlembrug. It is a vital part of Amsterdam’s infrastructure. This bridge is more than just concrete and steel. It has a story to tell.
The Betlembrug is a concrete beam bridge. It is a crucial part of the A9 highway. The bridge spans the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The Betlembrug is also known as the Second Muiderbrug. It is located in the Diemen interchange.
Construction began on February 10, 2014. The Betlembrug project was part of the massive Schiphol-Amsterdam-Almere project. The section for traffic to Amersfoort opened on August 22, 2016. This coincided with the opening of the Aquaduct Vechtzicht on the A1. On March 13, 2017, the bridge opened for traffic towards Amstelveen.
The Betlembrug is 354 meters long. Its main span is 140 meters. The bridge deck is 10 meters high. The Betlembrug has multiple spans side by side. One section is 17 meters wide. Another is 11 meters wide. The third is 21 meters wide. There are nine lanes on the Betlembrug. Four lanes head west. Two lanes form a reversible lane. Three lanes go east.
The bridge has a fascinating history. The name Betlembrug comes from a former recreation area. This area was called Betlem. Hermanus Betlem owned it from 1927 to 1934. It was called Venice of the North. This recreational area sat on the canal’s west side. It was between the current Betlembrug and Muiderbrug. It featured a park, tea garden, and swimming pool.
In 1936, Betlem sold the land to the state. During World War II, the German occupiers used the site. They established a work camp for Jewish forced laborers. These men had to raise the canal’s dike. The Betlembrug was built directly over the old pond of the recreation area.
Daily traffic on the Betlembrug reached 71,900 vehicles in 2023. It is hard to believe what happened here. The Betlembrug facilitates movement. It connects people to jobs, family, and opportunities.