It is one of the most ambitious construction projects in years: the construction and construction of the Zuidasdok. A multi-billion dollar job that should be completed in 2036. Part of the A4 and A10 South towards Utrecht have been closed since last Friday evening in order to lay foundations at South station for a new station passage. Eleven days have been set aside for this, which means working hard 24 hours a day.
The foundations for a second passenger hall, the Brittenpassage, must be laid at Zuid station in a week and a half. The work is part of the multi-billion-dollar Zuidasdok project, in which the A10 South will be widened and tunneled under and South station will be renovated and expanded.
“A mega job”, says project leader and Amsterdammer Emiel Vergouw. He was previously involved in the construction of the North/South line and is therefore used to it. A total of eighty sheet piling walls will have to go deep into the soil for the Brittenpassage – which will come under the railway and the ring road. In addition, about 250 tubular piles will be driven into the ground for the foundation of the roof, which will be placed around Ascension next year. “After that we can very quickly excavate the Brittenpassage to enlarge the station.”
According to Vergouw, the construction of the Brittenpassage is not even that complicated from a technical point of view. “The biggest difficulty is the logistics. We are enclosed here between the buildings. All the stuff has to be brought in here. The difficulty of this job is that we are in a complex environment that is very difficult to get to. And the station and the A10 We actually want to keep it open as long as possible, which is why we have chosen to cause nuisance in one go – for eleven days – in order to be able to do as much work as possible at once.”
The ring should be fully open again next Wednesday.