The aim of the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer is to achieve safe, smooth and sustainable mobility for all road-users in Flanders. It administers, maintains and optimises the road network of the Flemish Region. It intends to do all this by providing correct information and ensuring timely communication, properly managing the available knowledge and operating in a high-quality, innovative manner.

Bridge B8 over the E34/E313 motorway in Vaartstraat in Ranst is administered by the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, Antwerp Division. As a result of a collision with the bridge in 2012, one half of it has since been out of use and traffic has to cross it in turns. The bridge can be repaired, but considering the plans for the future of the E34/E313 between Antwerp-East and Ranst, the option chosen is for a new bridge with a clearance that takes account of the future widening of the motorway.

The bridge in Vaartstraat is the first bridge that westbound road-users encounter after the E34 and E313 have merged. In this sense, it is a gateway to Antwerp for drivers coming from the east of the country. The bridge should be more than just a connection between A and B. The principal wants a visually-defining bridge that provides added value for the user, the inhabitant and the passing traffic. Particular attention must be paid to its design and sustainability.

For this bridge, the principal is looking for a strong spatial concept so that the landscape, the surroundings and ongoing mobility are raised to a higher level. So the designer is expected to concentrate especially on embedding the new design in the landscape.

The transverse section of the bridge is widened to a limited extent so that separate cycle paths can be laid on the roadway. The span should provide sufficient clearance for 5 lanes plus a bus lane/hard shoulder in both directions on the E34/E313, plus a central reservation (a total of 2 x 22.5 m + 7 m). Vertical clearance should be at least 5.40 m.

The brief includes the complete design, the cost assessment for the project, drawing up the tendering documents and supervision of construction. The brief also includes the demolition of the existing bridge, a study of the measures to minimise disruption, and of the construction method, since this depends very much on the concept of the bridge, and also following up the execution of the work.

The execution of this brief will be done by an interdisciplinary team that includes a range of expertise: landscape, urban planning, geo-technics, stability of artworks, infrastructure.

Cost of building the bridge: €2,800,000 excl. VAT and fees, not including demolition of the existing bridge, signposting and reducing disruption. Including groundwork, adaptation of embankments and roads.

Flat-rate overall fee of min. €200,000 and max. €250,000 excl. VAT.