Amsterdam to block access to unsafe quay during King’s Day event
Part of the quay along the Singelgracht near the Haarlemmerpoort will be fenced off during King’s Day celebrations due to the risk that it could collapse under the weight of large crowds, the municipality confirmed. Temporary barriers will be installed to prevent people from gathering on the structurally compromised section of the quay wall, according to Het Parool.
A spokesperson for the city said the decision is tied to a local event: “On King’s Day, a party will be organized by a nearby café. To prevent large groups of people from standing on the quay, fencing will be placed around the area. The adjacent mooring platform will remain accessible.”
The temporary fencing will be installed on Thursday, April 24, and removed on Monday, April 28. The measures are meant to reduce stress on the quay wall, which has been found to be in poor condition following years of structural neglect.
This is not the first time the municipality has acted to reduce pressure on the Haarlemmerpoort quay. In 2019, large flower planters were placed along the edge of the quay to deter people from parking mopeds and motorcycles too close to the wall, which would place additional stress on the already weak structure. However, later analysis showed that even these planters were too heavy. In 2024, further steps were taken to lessen the burden: the planters were removed, and bike racks with short posts were added to prevent motor vehicle parking altogether.
It had been some time since the city last had to cordon off a quay or bridge, though such emergency closures were more common several years ago. In most of those cases, restrictions were implemented for heavy traffic, not pedestrian crowds. Over the past few years, the municipality has taken broader control of the long-standing deterioration of Amsterdam’s quays and bridges. A comprehensive monitoring system has been implemented, and city engineers now have a clearer picture of which structures are most at risk.
The severity of the situation reportedly became clear after multiple instances of structural failure in recent years. In September 2020, a major collapse occurred along the Grimburgwal, when a significant portion of the quay fell into the canal. The event followed repeated warnings from structural engineers who had sounded the alarm but were ignored for years. It was only after this collapse that city officials—and the public—recognized the urgent need for repairs.
