The bicycle and pedestrian bridge is part of the F29 cycle highway between Leuven and Brussels. The route runs from Tervuren to the Leuven city ring.
Sarens has been responsible for the transportation and installation of the bridge during a critical closure of 8 hours during the night.
This iconic bridge is entirely made of European wood and is the first wooden bridge of such size in Flanders.
The Sarens technical team opted for the CS250 towers because of their versatility and the ability to be installed under a pre-assembled bridge at 1,1 metres high. By choosing these towers, the team could perform jacking down tasks at a faster pace, which was particularly important due to time constraints. The routes could only be closed for eight hours overnight, reducing the time Sarens could take to travel using its SPMTs before jacking down the bridge.
The new bicycle and pedestrian bridge is unique and is the most sustainable one within the ‘Werken aan de Ring’ program. It is entirely made of European wood and is the first wooden bridge of such size in Flanders. In this particular case the manufacturer of the wooden bridge, Amann, helped in the calculation of the bridge’s strength and deformations as well as the design, calculation and supply of custom-made wooden support blocks in between our transport structure and the bridge. Wood supports were chosen to not damage the bridge itself. Temporary supports on the abutments were designed, calculated and supplied with the cooperation of Amann and Viabuild.
The 'Werken aan de Ring' program aims to provide better cycling infrastructure, building safe bike paths and comfortable bicycle bridges and tunnels to cycle quickly and smoothly along and over the Ring. The purpose is to offer users a worthy alternative to the car and gradually reduce the number of cars on the Ring. The construction of the bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Vierarmen junction fits into this ambition.
The Vierarmen junction used to be a hazardous crossing for cyclists, but thanks to Sarens' contribution, it is now safe for both cyclists and pedestrians. Once the new installations are complete, they will be able to enjoy a fast and secure connection from this point onward.
Over the past few years, Sarens has established itself as a strategic player in similar projects. Recently the company has completed several major projects, including the installation of the OA14 bridge, weighing 5,850 tons, in Bettembourg (Luxembourg). Sarens has installed another pedestrian bridge between the Hazebrouck railway station (France) and its car park and an 8,400 ton railway bridge on the A1 motorway in Amsterdam (Netherlands). The company also replaced a railway bridge in Stockholm‘s (Sweden) city centre using the "floatover" method. One of the very last bridge projects took place in Dieppe, in the north-west of France, where they lifted and transported the century-old Colbert Bridge, classified as a historic monument, for a renovation that will leave it as good as new after 135 years.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 66 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/