DRIVE – Biocomposite bicycle bridge
The Province of Fryslân (in the Netherlands) has a high circular ambition: to be in the top three of developing regions in 2025. The biocomposite bicycle bridge fits well in this ambition. The old bridge on the Van Harinxmacanal has to be replaced by a new one. The construction team made in innovative solution: an asymmetrical bridge, that can be openend, with a biocomposite roadway. This project is called DRIVE. The biocomposite (80% natural) is based on flax and resin, a promising building material for bridges. This project can be an impulse for new developments in building roadways and bridges.
DRIVE: Deterministic, Realistic, Innovative, Visionary and Energetic
DRIVE stands for: Deterministic, Realistic, Innovative, Visionary and Energetic. This innovative project was started by the province of Fryslân and institutions of higher education. They teamed up with engineers, road builders and universities in the Netherlands. Meanwhile on international level, European subsidy programs (BIOCAS Interreg), foreign universities and congresses were interested as well. Together with enthusiastic entrepreneurs (Strukton Civiel, Spie, Delft Infra Composites, Witteveen+Bos, Sweco, Antea) the Province of Fryslân has worked very hard to develop the first biocomposite bridge in the public roadway system.
The project started in the summer of 2018 and will be opened in October 2019.
Already it received a number of awards: it was nominated for the Infratech Innovation prize 2019, nominated for Nederlandse Bouwprijs 2019 (Dutch Building price) and received The Circular Award Public 2019. The province of Fryslân hopes to build more and larger bridges of biocomposite in the future.
www.drive.frl
