[Themaintainers] Amsterdam's canal crisis

[Paul Mignot]

HI Andrew, and fellow maintainers.

As an Amsterdam local, happy to share some insights.

I don't think the public has fully acknowledged yet the magnitude of the
amount of deferred maintenance.
Out of the 1800 bridges 850 need urgent repair and from the 600km quay
walls 200km need repair! (source:
https://www.amsterdam.nl/parkeren-verkeer/bruggen-kademuren/)
Here a link to a dashboard
<https://atosborne.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Dashboard.pdf> with more
figures (I think google translate can also do PDF)
The city has asked the market for options on how to monitor the bridges and
quays more extensively as they cannot repair everything at the same time
With Covid severely impacting the cities financials (as well as inhabitants
wanting fewer tourists and Airbnbs and thus less tourist taxes) I expect
this to be a big challenge in the coming years.

As a matter of fact I am writing a blog post now regarding the maintenance
of critical infrastructure and using this as an example. The Netherlands is
every year rated one of the countries with the best infrastructure (2nd
place after Singapore according to WEF). However whilst patting ourselves
on the back we forgot to monitor our own infrastructure. If interested,
will be happy to share my blog when done.

Regards, Paul




On Thu, Aug 27, 2020 at 4:25 PM Andrew Russell <arussell at arussell.org>
wrote:

> I thought you all might be interested in this story that connects the
> maintenance of canals to long-term perspectives (both looking back and
> looking forward).  I know we have at east one or two people on the list who
> are locals in Amsterdam - I’d be curious to hear their reactions…
>
> http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/amsterdam-collapsing/index.html
> Amsterdam has been collapsing for years. Now it's paying the price
> Cracks and sinkholes are appearing alongside the waterways of Amsterdam.
> Bicycles are tumbling into the swirling water as the canalsides vanish
> beneath their wheels.
> Quay walls are collapsing against houseboats. Bridges are in trouble.
> While the recent Covid-19 restrictions have relieved the Dutch capital
> from the more superficial blight of overtourism, it seems the city has a
> more pressing existential crisis.
> It's in danger of crumbling into the water it's built upon. And only a
> makeover of enormous proportions can save it.
> Fortunately, no one has been hurt yet, but unless it can work out how to
> carry out the millions of dollars' worth of delicate repairs needed, some
> of the beautiful medieval infrastructure that makes Amsterdam such a
> popular destination could be lost.
> Amsterdam's day of reckoning shouldn't really have come as a surprise.
> The city's children grow up with a verse: "Amsterdam, die grote stad / Die
> is gebouwd op palen / Als die stad eens ommeviel / Wie zou dat dan betalen?
> Loosely translated: "Amsterdam, big city / It is built on piles / If the
> city would collapse / Who would pay for that?"
> The city is now collapsing -- and the Dutch are paying.
>
> [snip]
>
> http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/amsterdam-collapsing/index.html
>
>
> Andy
>
>
>
> — — — — — — — — — — —
>
>
> Andrew L. Russell, Ph.D.
> Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
> SUNY Polytechnic Institute
> Donovan Hall - 2123B
> 100 Seymour Road
> Utica, NY 13502
>
> The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the
> Work That Matters Most <http://www.prh.com/innovationdelusion>
> Available Sept 8, 2020 | Pre-order now!
>
> t. 315-792-7317
> w. https://sunypoly.edu/
> e. arussell at arussell.org
>
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