Stadsbrug, Kampen, Vertical-lift bridge in Kampen, Netherlands
Stadsbrug is a vertical-lift bridge in Kampen that crosses the IJssel River and connects the city center to the station square. Four central steel columns filled with concrete raise the deck when river traffic requires it, and the bridge carries separate lanes for pedestrians, cyclists, and cars.
The current bridge replaced an older crossing that had stood on the same site for many decades. During construction, temporary crossings kept the city connected while the new structure was built to be roughly twice as wide as its predecessor.
The bridge links the medieval old town to the station square and is used daily by people on foot, by bike, and by car. The glass windbreaks on both sides create natural stopping points where people tend to pause and watch the river traffic go by.
When the deck rises to let a vessel through, pedestrians and cyclists must wait a short time before crossing. It is worth allowing a little extra time, particularly during warmer months when river traffic on the IJssel tends to be heavier.
Gold-plated pulley wheels at the top of the tapered towers guide the cables that raise and lower the deck. These details are clearly visible from the bridge itself but tend to go unnoticed by most people crossing it.
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