AÑO
2019
CATEGORÍA
Comunidad
OBJETIVOS
Industria, innovación e infraestructura
PAL. CLAVE
infrastructure, transportation, traffic jams
PAÍS
Netherlands
CRÉDITOS
The Cirkelbrug is invented by Sjoerd van der Hoorn and a patent was granted by the National Patent Office of The Netherlands in 2017.
LINK
https://www.cirkelbrug.nl/
Cirkelbrug
The Cirkelbrug is a bridge design that allows road and water traffic to cross simultaneously.
The Cirkelbrug is a reinvented bridge concept that eliminates wait times for bridges. Costs are estimated to only be a fraction above those of a traditional bridge.
The specially shaped deck of the Cirkelbrug ensures that there is a physical connection between both shores at all times. The deck of the Cirkelbrug is constructed as a circle with a recess. Depending on the direction of the recess, road traffic is routed over the left- or right-hand ramp. Ships use the recess in the circular bridge deck to come to the other side. Put simple, a ship navigates into the center of the recess where it docks. Then, the circle rotates 180 degrees. As the ship remains pointed in the same direction, it can leave the recess and continu its journey.
By varying the size and shape of the deck and recess, the Circle Bridge can be used on various roads, ranging from pedestrian and bicycle lanes, through car traffic in and outside of urban areas, up to major highways across rivers and estuary.