Strange Architecture: Bridge Design in the Netherlands
The Dutch have a tendency to do things differently. Take their levees, which are giant storm-surge barriers specially made with synthetic textiles to keep the earth from eroding. Their bike paths are placed on equal footing as automotive roads. And their town planning, which merges private and public life by combining terraced houses with amenities like shops and sports facilities, is a far cry from the way American suburbs are planned. Then there are Netherlands' bridges. Because of prevalent rivers throughout the country and boat traffic as high as the volume of vehicles on the road, a bridge in the Netherlands needs to be able to quickly raise and lower over relatively small waterways. Your average hinged drawbridge would be too big for most Dutch waterways, and a long, steep bridge would eat up precious resources. Dutch architects answer this conundrum with the tail bridge. A tail bridge can quickly and efficiently be raised and lowered from one pylon (instead of hinges). This quickly allows water traffic to pass while only briefly stalling road traffic.
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