Galecopper Bridge closed towards Arnhem for two weekends
Rijkswaterstaat warns of more than an hour of additional travel time around Utrecht.
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The Galecopper Bridge on the A12 near Utrecht will be closed towards Arnhem twice in November and December. Rijkswaterstaat is carrying out repairs to two deformed main girders and expects serious disruption to traffic.
The first closure begins on Friday 20 November at 22.00 and lasts until Tuesday 24 November at 05.00. The second runs from Friday 4 December at 22.00 until Tuesday 8 December at 05.00. Both the main carriageway and the parallel carriageway towards Arnhem will be closed.
Rijkswaterstaat reports that deformations in two main girders were discovered during work on the bridge in autumn 2025. Temporary reinforcements were installed at the time, allowing the bridge to remain safely in use. According to Rijkswaterstaat, the permanent repairs are now scheduled for November and December 2026.
For motorists, the closure means more than sixty minutes of additional travel time, according to Rijkswaterstaat. Traffic from Amsterdam will be diverted via the A1 and A27 or A30, among other routes. From The Hague and Rotterdam, routes via the A4, A9, A1, A27, A30 or A15 and A27 respectively are planned.
The closure will disrupt traffic around Utrecht. Traffic between the Randstad and the east of the Netherlands in particular should expect longer journey times. Rijkswaterstaat advises travellers to check the latest traffic information in advance and avoid the closures as far as possible.
The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal will remain open to shipping during the road closures. However, the waterway will be narrowed at various times until spring 2027. According to the current schedule, work on the bridge will be completed in December 2026.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is supported by Rijkswaterstaat’s current schedule and explanation. The second source confirms the closures and the reason for them; no factual corrections are needed.
- confirmed The Galecopper Bridge will be closed twice towards Arnhem, from 20 to 24 November and from 4 to 8 December 2026. — Rijkswaterstaat lists both closure periods. source
- confirmed Deformations were discovered in two main girders during work in 2025. — This is stated in Rijkswaterstaat’s project information. source
- confirmed Rijkswaterstaat expects more than sixty minutes of additional travel time. — The warning applies to both closures. source
- confirmed The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal will remain open to shipping. — Rijkswaterstaat explicitly states this. source
Editor's note
The closure dates, diversions and cause of the repairs were checked directly with Rijkswaterstaat. The traffic disruption is the road authority’s expectation; the actual delay may vary from one moment to the next.Sources
- A12: onderhoud Galecopperbrug — Rijkswaterstaat
- Galecopperbrug in november en december opnieuw dicht — Omroep Lekstroom
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „galecopperbrug a12”
- de Volkskrant — „galecopperbrug a12”
- RTL Nieuws — „galecopperbrug a12”