Residents to have a say on Rotterdam’s new bridge

Residents to have a say on Rotterdam’s new bridge

ROTTERDAM, 3 February 2025 – Residents' associations in Rotterdam will have a say in the development of the new city bridge (stadsbrug), which aims to better connect Rotterdam South and Kralingen. A covenant has been signed between the municipality, residents' associations, and the project organisation to formalise their involvement.

 

Covenant signing

On Monday, 3 February, Stichting Bewoners Belangen Veranda (BBV), Bewonersvereniging Kralingen-Oost (BKO), the Municipality of Rotterdam, and the project organisation ‘MIRT-Stadsbrug en OV’ signed a covenant. Alderman Tim Versnel signed on behalf of the municipality.

The planned bridge will connect to the Nesserdijk in Kralingen on the northern side and to De Veranda in IJsselmonde on the southern side. It is intended to provide fast and comfortable public transport, and the current Stadion station will be upgraded to a full-fledged NS station, Stadionpark. Given these developments, local residents in Kralingen and IJsselmonde have a direct interest in the project. BBV and BKO represent a significant portion of these residents.

 

Purpose of the covenant

The covenant outlines how the involved parties will collaborate and how residents can voice their interests. It includes agreements on cooperation and public participation, with an annual review to assess progress. The basis for the covenant is the participation compass (participatiekompas), a key element of the Environmental Act (Omgevingswet), which ensures that collaboration agreements are made at the start of each project phase.

Stan van den Heerik, chairman of BBV, emphasised the importance of representation for the Veranda neighbourhood:

"The covenant ensures that the voices from the south are heard where they need to be. The liveability of De Veranda must at least be safeguarded, especially given the plans for increased housing and the additional traffic that the city bridge will bring to the area."

Paul Driessen, chairman of BKO, added:

"The city is coming over the bridge! BKO will continue to participate in discussions with other stakeholders over the coming years to monitor developments and ensure that the implementation of systemic solutions benefits the neighbourhoods and enhances the quality of life in Rotterdam."

Alderman Tim Versnel acknowledged residents' concerns:

"I have had discussions and I understand the issues and the emotions they bring. There are real concerns. That is why it is important to continue our dialogue in an honest, open, and transparent manner. With this agreement, we are making a fresh start in our cooperation."

 

A complex undertaking

The MIRT City Bridge and Public Transport Project (MIRT-Stadsbrug en OV) is a collaboration between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague (MRDH), and the Municipality of Rotterdam.

MIRT stands for Multi-Year Programme for Infrastructure, Space and Transport (meerjarenprogramma infrastructuur, ruimte en transport). These four parties jointly oversee the development of the new city bridge, the high-quality public transport connection, and the Stadionpark station upgrade.

The new bridge will strengthen the link between Rotterdam South and East. By reducing travel time, it will improve access to key locations such as Erasmus University, the Sports Campus, and parks in Rotterdam South. Additionally, the bridge will facilitate the construction of 30,000 new homes, contributing to efforts to address Rotterdam’s housing shortage.

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