A footpath of floating tubes in Vlaardingen

In Vlaardingen, a footpath has been created using floating tubes. This floating construction can move on the water like a raft.

One of the members of Bureauleiding came across this case through a contact. In the area, much of the greenery had been removed and this had a major impact on a number of animals. For example, bats oriented themselves through the felled trees and reeds on the banks. In order to temporarily bring back these points or orientation, the desire arose for a movable construction. Based on the preconditions of this wish, such as the carrying capacity of the footpath, calculations were made for PVC-U and eventually the correct pipe diameter was defined.

The reed beds at the Krabbeplas are partly a compensation for nature in the area that was sacrificed for the construction of the Hollandtunnel, part of the Blankenburg connection. “A lot of reeds will disappear from that spot and we’ll bring them back here, also to guide the bats in this area to their foraging spots”, says Helene Moors of Rijkswaterstaat.

The footpath is expected to remain in place for a total of 2 years.