Spoorzone shares progress with the public

Following the start of the Spoorzone Delft construction project in 2008, Delft residents came to experience the reality of what Project Contractor Herman Maas from Combinatie Cromme Lijn (CCL) referred to as “the complexity of ensuring a liveable environment in which residents can carry on their daily life in the setting of a massive, complex urban construction zone.”

Setting aside the known political-economic issues of this project, from a technological perspective, the existing elevated train viaduct formed the greatest complicating factor in this complex infrastructure and regional mobility initiative. Out of necessity, the existing viaduct remained in active use until February 2015 when the first of two train tunnels and the new train station were opened. The presence of the viaduct prevented the start of construction on the second train tunnel and the Spoorsingel parking garage. Only upon the decommissioning and final demolition of the viaduct in the summer of 2015, could the final phase of the subterranean project commence.

Once finished, the underground component will comprise two new train tunnels, an underground parking garage for 600 cars and two underground bicycle parking lots for 5,000 bicycles interconnected by a pedestrian tunnel and access routes to the train station. At street-level, development plans include a new city hall still under construction, a canal, a city park, the New Delft city quarter designated for residential and commercial purposes and new traffic routes.

One critical challenge has been ensuring accessibility and mobility of people using various forms of transportation between Delft town centre, surrounding residential neighbourhoods, the train station and the university. The construction zone runs directly through the heart of key thoroughfares which have been ‘disrupted’ in planned phases starting in 2008.

The completion of the western tunnel and Spoorsingel parking garage are now in sight bringing to an end this unpredictable and somewhat chaotic period for university-bound traffic. Rick Pattipeilohy, CCL Project Director, noted that the project team would be “working through the summer to complete two key university access routes by September 2016.” The routes he referred to include the final extension of the canal-side bike lane connecting the Bolwerk with the Hooikade and the completion of a new street-level route for all forms of traffic to replace the awkward Abtswoudse bicycle tunnel to the south of the station.

Interested in a sneak preview? You can get one on June 4th.