The Netherlands Ministry of Public Works and Water Management has awarded a €68m contract to a joint venture (JV) for the renovation of the existing A50 motorway bridge over the River Waal near Ewijk, Gelderland.

Combinatie Versterken Bruggen, a JV between Strukton and Ballast Nedam, will raise the existing structure of a steel cable-stayed bridge, which is 1km in length and 40m in width, by 1m to provide vertical clearance required for modern shipping.

Renovation work will include welding, conservation such as painting, replacement of street furniture and cables, pouring of high-strength concrete, along with adding a new layer of asphalt.

During the first six months of the project, technical work will be carried out in a 3m-high box suspended under the surface of the bridge, which will allow vehicles to use the bridge without any inconvenience.

The renovation project is expected to commence in September 2012.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is also carrying out road widening works on a section of the A50 motorway between Ewijk and Valburg.

The carriageways are being widened, and the motorway is being upgraded from 2×2 to 2×4 lanes, which will ease traffic flow and make the region more accessible.

The project between Ewijk and Valburg will also include an extra A50 motorway bridge over the Waal to the west of the existing structure.

The motorway widening work is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Strukton, a full service provider in the field of infrastructure and accommodation solutions, has a workforce of approximately 5,900 people and posted revenues of €1.3bn in the 2011 fiscal year.

Ballast Nedam focuses on integrated projects in the Netherlands in four areas, including housing, mobility, energy and nature.