A whopping 17 metres extension for the footbridge in Howald
Howald has already been offering rail customers a new double-track platform since 2017. Included is a pedestrian bridge that offers customers easier access from the platform to the Howald neighbourhood. However, the work in Howald is not yet complete. The aim is to make it easier for customers to connect the different modes of public transport in Howald. Thanks to these multimodal hubs, travelling by train, bus, and in the future also by tram will be made easier and thus more attractive. The Road and Bridge Administration (Administration des Ponts et Chaussées), is making a significant contribution by building a new bus station and a new bridge. On their side, CFL has recently extended the existing pedestrian footbridge by 17 metres in order to offer their customers an easy transfer from the train to the RGTR buses in Howald from mid-September 2023. The metal framework, weighing 30 tonnes, was delivered by special transport in mid-April, fully assembled on site and finally placed with millimetre precision.
But let’s take it one step at a time. Find out more about the exact course of events in Howald.
The process was one that every responsible person would wish for. Everything fitted exactly, nothing snagged, no further adjustments had to be made to the material, and no windows were broken. David, responsible engineer for the Howald project.
“Everything went like clockwork” David, the engineer responsible for the Howald project, tells us. “The process was one that every responsible person would wish for. Everything fitted exactly, nothing snagged, no further adjustments had to be made to the material, and no windows were broken. It’s hard to believe, but only a little over half an hour passed between lifting the 30-tonne structure and placing it in its final location.” A success that would not have been possible without the spirited efforts of the team of CFL staff and workers from an external construction company, David tells us.
However, the work at Howald is not yet complete. On the footbridge itself, electrical work and final cladding work are still on the agenda. Next year, the construction at the Howald stop will also go ahead.