Amsterdam pushing €100 million into bridge over IJ river

In its Spring Memorandum, the Amsterdam office of mayor and aldermen set 100 million euros aside for the planned bridge of the IJ river, several sources told Parool. That is about a third of the bridge’s estimated cost.

The Transport Region will also contribute about 100 million euros. The other 100 million must still be raised in the coming years.

The bridge is necessary to properly transport the huge mass of people expected to live in Amsterdam Noord in the coming decades. When exactly the bridge will be built is still up in the air. The city expects that the current ferries can still handle the crowds until 2030.

“We are prepared for further growth,” traffic alderman Melanie van der Horst said in October. “We have plans to increase the capacity of the ferries up to 2030, and we are now conducting further research into the capacity and scaling up of the ferries up to 2040.”

"It is getting busier around and on the IJ river, with more homes, businesses and ships," the city has said publicly in the past. "Due to inflation, rising construction costs and higher energy prices, there is now a reduced amount of money to carry out all projects in the city."

More ferries, including electric ferries, could sail in the coming years, the city has said. Officials want to distribute passengers more evenly at the ferry points in Buiksloterweg and IJplein. The city has said it hopes that a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Noordhollandsch Kanaal in Amsterdam-Noord will also help improve the situation.

According to Parool’s sources, the mayor and aldermen also found money to continue several prestige projects, including the planned new Meervaart in Sloterplast and the new library OBA Next in Zuidoost.