The two old railway bridges over the Albert Canal in Kuringen were replaced by one new higher arch bridge. The construction of the new bridge is part of the Vlaamse Waterweg nv project to increase the vertical clearance of all bridges over the Albert Canal to 9.10 meters. At the same time, the canal is also being widened locally.
The reconstruction of the railway bridge also offered a unique opportunity to realize a bicycle connection across the Albert Canal at a relatively limited cost. The bicycle connection could be integrated into the railway bridge project and does not require a separate bicycle bridge because a bicycle bridge is being mounted on the new railway bridge.
BRAND NEW SAFE BICYCLE CROSSING
The bicycle bridge realizes the crossing over the Albert Canal for the Limburg north-south axis of the bicycle highways, which connects Hasselt with the Netherlands via Zonhoven, Houthalen-Helchteren, Hechtel-Eksel, Peer, Pelt and Hamont-Achel (F74). In the future you will cycle south from Hasselt via Alken to Sint-Truiden (F73). In addition, this cycle bridge forms the junction between the north-south axis and the east-west axis, which makes maximum use of the towpaths along the Albert Canal (F5, F72). The importance of the bridge for the bicycle highways in Limburg is therefore great. Crossing the canal safely is essential for quality bicycle highways.