Bicycle demonstration for construction of bridges over the Amsterdam IJ

A group of cyclists will demonstrate in Amsterdam on Saturday for the construction of bridges over the IJ river. They demand that the municipality allocate funds for the construction of the announced bicycle bridges and pedestrian tunnel, as the ferries to and from Amsterdam-Noord are becoming increasingly busy.

The Amsterdam Bicycle Museum and the Fietsersbond are organizing the demonstration under the slogan "Cross over the bridge" and expect at least 250 bicycle demonstrators. The group will meet at 2:30 p.m. at Buikslotermeerplein in Amsterdam-Noord and then cycle via the ferry to the Stopera, where a petition will be delivered to city councilor Melanie van der Horst (Traffic). They then continue to the NDSM wharf.

The crossing of the IJ, also known as "Jump over the IJ", is necessary to further improve the connection between Amsterdam-Noord and the rest of the city. Two years ago, the city council decided to build two bridges over the IJ: one on the east side (between Johan van Hasseltweg and Azartplein) and one on the west side (between the NDSM wharf and Haparandadam). In addition, a pedestrian tunnel is to be built there between the Central Station and Noord.

Last October, however, it turned out that the money earmarked for the bridges had been used elsewhere, such as extending the north-south link to Schiphol. The city council still wants the bridges to be built, alderman Van der Horst emphasized at the time. More about the plans should be known when the spring memorandum is presented in May.

"The already overcrowded ferries will really be maxed out in a few years, and Noord will grow from 100,000 to 150,000 residents in 2030," said the organizers, who called it "undemocratic" not to implement a council decision or to postpone it for years. "Without a council budget, Amsterdammers can wait until Sint-Juttemis for the bike bridges and pedestrian passage."