Yesterday the green light was given to commence construction of the new Signalling Centre for ProRail in Utrecht. Visser & Smit Bouw is the main contractor for this project.
On Monday 3rd of February construction began on ProRail's new Signalling Centre in Utrecht. The existing facility handles the greatest volume of rail traffic in the Netherlands. The building will be ready next year and is situated in the Cartesiusdriehoek, an area with a rich rail history.
After a welcome speech by Paul Dirix, Director of Operations for ProRail, the Mayor of Utrecht Jan van Zanen drove home the first pile of the project.
ProRail renews Utrecht
Utrecht is the busiest rail hub in the Netherlands and connects millions of rail passengers in their journeys throughout the country. As many as 285 000 people pass through Utrecht Central Station each day. In ten years time this is expected to increase to 360 000 per day. To allow these passengers to enjoy a faster and more comfortable service ProRail will be investing 2 billion Euros in the renewal of stations, tracks and signalling in and around Utrecht.
The new station hall will be completed in 2016. The tracks around Utrecht Central will be fully renewed to allow a better flow of trains. In addition ProRail will lay 80 kilometers of new tracks, seven new or renewed stations and an extra railway bridge over the Amsterdam Rijnkanaal. The increased rail traffic will be easily handled by the new signalling facilities These innovations will make sure that the whole rail network around Utrecht is ready for the future.
Cartesiusdriehoek
The Signalling Centre will be constructed in Cartesiusdriehoek, an area with a rich rail history. In the last century the Werkspoor Utrecht was located in this area, a factory for constructing carriages and rail equipment. The arrival of the Signalling Centre gives a new impetus to the area.
Construction and architecture
The new building will be three storeys high and clad in Corten steel, which will fit in well with the surrounding environment. The architect is de Jong Gortemaker Algra.
Text and photos: ProRail