This past weekend and Monday, the Ringvaart Bridge on the R4 in Evergem (Belgium) was successfully moved to a temporary bypass, and it was nothing short of a spectacle. For the next two years, traffic will flow over this detour while a new Ringvaart Bridge is rebuilt.
The successful relocation marked a major milestone in the transformation of the Ghent Ring Road (R4WO), a large-scale infrastructure project led by De Werkvennootschap and the BRAVO4 consortium, with BESIX proud to be part of the journey.
"This is engineering at its finest, made possible by people who each play a vital role" shares Gunther Muyshondt, Project Director at BRAVO4. "From cutting and lifting to moving and reassembling the bridge, we’ve delivered something truly special."
And it wasn’t just about the machines
The impressive work was completed in three phases. In the first, preparatory phase, workers dismantled the bridge into three parts and prepared it for transport. The bridge sections were then lifted and carefully moved to the new location: the two side sections, weighing approximately 850 tonnes each, were moved with Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), and the middle section, weighing around 1150 tonnes, was transported by pontoon. These sections were reassembled 100 metres further, the bridge joints were poured, the road surface received a new top layer, and the lane markings were added: ready for traffic again!
Like clockwork? Well, almost!
"Not everything went as expected," admitted Guillaume Cornille, Project Director at BESIX. "One section didn’t move as we had calculated. So, at 3 a.m., fueled by caffeine and collaboration, we regrouped in our on-site situation room and reworked the plan.”
That moment when pressure is high and everyone pulls together, is what makes engineering memorable. Thanks to the quick thinking of the colleagues of the BESIX Engineering Department, the operation got back on track, and the team delivered exactly as planned.
"I’m incredibly proud of everyone involved," Gunther said. "What you saw on-site was the result of months of preparation and a huge dose of teamwork on site and in the design office. It’s something special to be part of."
Guillaume also expressed his gratitude to every internal and external employee for their roles in this masterpiece: "It was impressive to see the dedication of all partners and rewarding how the planned methods came together in reality."
The temporary bridge is now open to traffic. Behind the scenes, the next chapter begins: the demolition and reconstruction of the original Ringvaart Bridge, which will be rebuilt to modern standards.
A huge thank you to all BESIX teams and partners who made this complex operation a success!