Erasmusbrug, Cable-stayed bridge in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Erasmusbrug is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge across the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam, 802 metres long. Its single 139-metre asymmetrical steel pylon leans backward and carries cables to a flat deck. The southernmost span is an 89-metre bascule section, one of Europe's largest, for ships too tall for the cable-stayed span.
Architect Ben van Berkel designed the bridge, which opened in 1996 to link northern and southern Rotterdam. Its construction marked a turning point in the city's development after postwar reconstruction.
The bridge is nicknamed De Zwaan, the Swan, after its bent pylon and single arm of cables. It is named after Desiderius Erasmus, the Rotterdam-born Renaissance humanist; the name was given in 1992. Since 1996 the bridge has formed part of the Rotterdam Marathon course, which previously crossed the Willemsbrug.
Separate pathways let pedestrians and cyclists cross alongside motor traffic. The bascule section usually opens at night or on request, so delays are rare during daytime hours.
Engineers added extra shock dampers after opening because strong winds caused noticeable movement. This adjustment greatly improved stability and calmed the roadway during storms.
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