Gridlock around A28 after bridge closed for emergency repairs

Traffic on the A28 motorway in the Netherlands was halted on Tuesday morning as a bridge was shut down for urgent repairs. The Hardenbergerbrug, connecting Nijkerk, has been closed in both directions since Monday afternoon. The highways agency Rijkswaterstaat is performing the closure due to the discovery that the bridge's concrete supports were undermined by sand and gravel that had eroded from around them.

Rijkswaterstaat spokeswoman Marike Broos stated that the bridge's stability is compromised, and safety cannot be guaranteed. The cycle path beneath the roadway and the adjacent canal have also been rendered impassable to traffic. Emergency repairs, including the addition of sand and gravel to stabilize the supports, are underway, but the timeline for reopening the bridge remains uncertain.