Ensuring a good traffic flow in and around Zuidas; before, during and after the construction

Zuidas is one of the most important international knowledge and business center in The Netherlands. Close proximity to Schiphol Airport, the inner city of Amsterdam, and easy access by car and public transport make the Zuidas into the ideal business location for both national and international companies. In addition to the many businesses, Zuidas also is a area to live and more and more homes are added. However, the rapid development of the area also has a downside. The capacity of the A10 Southern ring road is no longer sufficient, and this has resulted in traffic jams that occur on a daily basis. What’s more, the number of travellers who make use of the Amsterdam-Zuid railway station is growing at an explosive rate, from a current daily number of 80,000 travellers to an expected daily number of 230,000 in 2030. In order to keep guaranteeing the reachability of the Zuidas in the future, the A10 Southern ring road will be expanded from four to six lanes in each direction. Underground, thus creating space for green, peace and silence above ground. In addition, the railway station will be completely renovated, and will function as a high-end public transport terminal, a place where train, tram, bus, taxi and bicycle converge.

Sufficient challenge

A complex project such as the Zuidasdok requires advanced ICT expertise during each phase and in every department. For instance, during the construction of the tunnel, where software engineers ensure that the various technical installations of the tunnel and traffic can communicate. They are interconnecting the installations by means of software to make them perform the functionalities for which they have been programmed. The safety in the tunnel must be guaranteed at all times and under all conditions. ICT is also an important factor at the Schinkelbrug. This bridge is operated from a distance of a couple of kilometres. Cameras, control, signalling … everything must be seamlessly aligned.

“Zuidasdok is the most prestigious project in the domain of infra in The Netherlands, right in the heart of an area where people come for work, travel and recreation. This makes the project so complex and interesting.”

Logistics

The role of ICT Group is also of crucial importance during the preparation phase. Software engineers are developing software to make processes more transparent and to speed up their flow. For instance in managing the flow of construction traffic. During the construction phase, a truck with building materials enters the traffic flow every single minute. This increase in the number of road users will irrevocably cause traffic congestion. A mathematical model that is based on the construction plans can calculate how much construction traffic will be using the roads in five years from now. This was the reason for choosing to construct separate roads for the construction traffic, with the goal of relieving the motorways.

Unobstructed work

Construction activities in the midst of offices and houses, in a location to which large numbers of commuters are travelling every day. The promise that was made, is that the environment is taken into account and various measures are taken to limit building nuisance as much as possible. This involves informing, communicating, and leading the people involved through the entire process. Perhaps technologies such as VR glasses can contribute. And yes, of course, the factor of ICT will also be playing a role in these aspects.