About automatic bridge openings (Blue Wave) in our app
Every year, bridge openings cause many delays. The unpredictable nature of a bridge opening is a particular problem for road traffic. Together with 10 other road and waterway authorities, the province of North Holland in the Netherlands has been working on the Blue Wave project to improve traffic flow on both roads and waterways.
Blue Wave: better traffic flow on the road and water
The province is working to improve traffic flow by exchanging data and making it available to bridge operators, motorists and boaters. Motorists can use the information from their navigation systems to improve how they plan journeys.
Via our app, (recreational) boaters can inform the bridge keeper of the expected time of arrival based on their location, boating route and speed. Bridge operators can use this information to choose the best time to operate the bridge, via a special bridge management system. The operator takes into account not only road and shipping traffic, but also emergency services and public transport.
The more skippers use the Waterkaarten app, the more it helps to make navigation more efficient. This is because a convoy of boaters is formed more quickly to pass the bridge at once (instead of each boat separately at a different time). This enables a smoother flow on both the road and the water. We call it sailing the Blue Wave.
How does it work?
The expected time of arrival at a bridge or lock is calculated based on your location, shipping route and speed. This time is communicated to the bridge operator via the bridge management system. This allows the operator to see how many ships are approaching and when, and determine the best time for a bridge opening.
Connected bridges and locks
There are 285 movable bridges and locks in the North Holland waterway network. Of these, 130 are located in a major road and/or waterway.
The province of North Holland launched the bridge management system in 2015. This has led to notable time savings for motorists and boaters. Since then, 56 bridges and locks have been connected to the bridge management system in the Alkmaar, Amsterdam, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Purmerend and Zaanstad region.
Sail along on the Blue Wave
Boating in the province of North Holland is all about enjoyment. This is possible thanks to the Blue Wave. It will be a success when as many boaters as possible use the Waterkaarten app while boating. The advantages are:
- The bridge operator knows you are coming *
- All up-to-date sailing information at hand
- Submit your own automatic opening requests*
* This already applies to 56 bridges. In the coming period, more and more (waterway and) road authorities will connect their bridges and locks to the bridge management system (BMS).
Source: Province of Noord-Holland, Netherlands