Even though the bridge is covered with non-slip material, it was treacherously slippery in previous winters as well. Warning signs had already been put up, and there was extra gritting. The situation this time is different, says Elike Wijnheijmer, policy advisor at Facilities & Services. ‘The strange this is that it had not frozen at all yesterday, but people still slipped and fell. That was the limit for us: we don’t want this happening again.
The bridge will be closed to cyclists ‘until a permanent solution is found.’ Pedestrians can still weave their way through the barriers and cross the bridge. Wijnheijmer does not want to go into possible solutions at this point, but does say the time for sticking plasters has passed. The new plans must solve the problem as well as fitting into the plans for further campus development, such as the construction of the Campus Plaza. Ensuring that mass bicycle traffic flows safely and smoothly promises to be a ‘hell of a job,’ says Wijnheijmer.
For the time being, cyclists heading for the Forum will have to improvise, but the assumption is that the bridge can be opened in the summer.