Merwedebrug indefinitely closed to trucks as steel weakness threatens arch; transport sector warns of 'enormous' impact

What happened

On Saturday 18 July 2026 at 17:30, Rijkswaterstaat closed the Merwedebrug on the A27 near Gorinchem to all truck traffic. Inspections had revealed that the steel in the bridge's arch is weaker than previously assumed at multiple points. The road authority said it could no longer guarantee "the structural safety of the bridge for heavy traffic." Under high pressure from heavy vehicles, the steel plates that form the arch risk deforming, which could compromise the entire structure. Passenger cars, motorcycles, vans, buses and emergency services are still allowed to cross. The closure is indefinite; Rijkswaterstaat is conducting additional research and cannot yet say when trucks might return.

Immediate impact on transport

The ban has drawn sharp criticism from the transport sector. Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) called the impact "enormous," warning that extra detour kilometres will pile financial pressure onto operators already facing rising costs from the truck levy and higher diesel prices. Detours route trucks via the A15, A16 and A59 to the south, or the A15, A2 and A59 to the north; hazardous materials must use the A2. The situation is worsened by the simultaneous nine-month closure of the Papendrechtsebrug on the N3 near Dordrecht for maintenance, which removes a key alternative crossing.

This closure once again shows how vulnerable Dutch infrastructure has become. As long as structural investments in management, maintenance and replacement fail to materialise, situations like this will keep recurring.

A recurring problem

This is not the first time the Merwedebrug has been abruptly shut to freight. In 2016, hairline cracks in the steel support beams forced a preventive closure that lasted nearly three months. Transport companies filed millions of euros in damage claims. In 2019, professors Rob Nijsse (structural engineering) and Ben Ale (safety science) concluded that the Netherlands had narrowly escaped a disaster comparable to the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa, which killed 43 people. Nijsse now calls the latest closure a tragedy rather than a farce.

It shows that fundamentally things are wrong with our bridges and viaducts.

He suspects Rijkswaterstaat may be using the repeated problems to pressure the government for extra maintenance funding, though he has no proof. TNO engineer Peter Rasker said the chance of a catastrophic failure is "fortunately small, but not zero."

Broader infrastructure crisis

The Merwedebrug, built in the 1960s, is one of many Dutch bridges and viaducts from the post-war reconstruction era now reaching the end of their design life. Over the next 20 years, an additional €80 billion is needed for maintenance and replacement, of which €34.5 billion falls to Rijkswaterstaat. Already, 22 projects have been postponed due to budget shortages. Later this summer, the cabinet will decide which projects receive funding. Provinces and municipalities have warned of years of traffic jams and detours if the backlog is not addressed. The region around Gorinchem is particularly affected: major works are planned on the A16, A15, the Noordtunnel, Drechttunnel, and the Van Brienenoordbrug in Rotterdam, with the latter's renovation set for 2027.

What happens next

Rijkswaterstaat is carrying out further investigations into the steel's condition. The current bridge is slated for replacement; construction of the new western section has already begun on a special work island, with opening planned for 2031. Once that section is operational, the old bridge will be demolished and the eastern section built. In the meantime, the indefinite truck ban will continue, and the transport sector braces for prolonged disruption.