Major setback quay wall Havenkade
The costs of restoring the quay wall along the Havenkanaal and the Oude Haven are again considerably higher. In 2020, the total costs were estimated at 2,000,000 euros, in the Autumn Memorandum 2021 this amount was increased to 2,717,000 euros, but the costs of the now ongoing project are soaring that the Mayor and aldermen are requesting the council for the investment budget to be increased by another 1,430,000 euros. The proposal for this will be discussed next Monday in the Physical Living Environment Council Committee.
By Jos Knijnenburg
Following an inspection of the quay wall along the Havenkanaal and the Oude Haven, it is currently being thoroughly tackled. Various reasons for the rising costs are mentioned in the proposal. A combination of additional work due to unforeseen circumstances, the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine have caused delivery times to increase enormously and the costs of building materials to soar.
In addition, many companies also struggle with a shortage of qualified personnel. “Inflation figures of 20% are no longer surprising,” says the college. As a result, the already adjusted budget for the entire job of 2,717,000 euros has been “virtually used up” to realize the project, according to the mayor and aldermen.
The council is now being asked to make an additional budget of 1,430,000 available. Wassenaar has asked the contractor to immediately make an offer for the implementation of the last phase. This not only prevents and saves a tender procedure, but also the delivery and removal costs of heavy equipment and, moreover, the period of nuisance for the environment can be kept as limited as possible. The financial justification for the requested extra budget is partly based on extending the depreciation period from 40 to 60 years, with the caveat that the new quay wall has a technical life of 100 years. The council notes to the councilors that in view of the inspection from 2019, stopping the expensive project is "not an option", "implementation is a must".
The existing quay, which has not yet been replaced, is in poor condition. Washing out of soil behind the quay and possible collapse of the quay due to the breaking of anchor rods can lead to dangerous situations. The mayor and aldermen refer in particular to the situation in a part of the work area where heavy traffic drives right along the Havenkanaal. When the quay collapses during the passing of a heavily loaded vehicle, "falling into the water is not inconceivable and the suffering is unimaginable".