Zuid-Willemsvaart

The Zuid-Willemsvaart is a channel which is useful like short cut and alternative route between the Belgian Meuse close to Maastricht and its part brabançonne close to Wood-the-Duke. The channel crosses the provinces of the Dutch Limbourg, the Belgian Limbourg and the Brabant-Septentrional .

The channel has a 123 km length. It connects the towns of Maastricht and Wood-the-Duke while passing by (inter alia) Smeermaas, Lanaken, Maasmechelen, Dilsen-Stokkem, Maaseik, Weert, Someren, Helmond, Beek in Donk, Veghel, Heeswijk-Dinther and Sint-Michielsgestel. Its construction began in 1823 to finish in 1826.

History

As of 1804, the emperor Napoleon i wanted to improve the transport by water in Belgium and with the Netherlands, primarily with fine soldiers.

Before the construction of Zuid-Willemsvaart, there existed already an inland waterway between Maastricht and Wood-the-Duke: the Meuse. This route had two major disadvantages: the Meuse makes a great turning by Nimègue, and it was navigable per annum only five months. In addition, the depth of the Meuse did not allow a navigation on all the way.

The channel was baptized according to the king Guillaume Ier. It is him which made the final decision in 1822 to build a channel to connect Maastricht to Wood-the-Duke. Initially, it was called Willemsvaart ( Canal Guillaume ). Later, a second Willemsvaart was carried out in Drenthe. Since, one distinguishes both by the addition from Noord- ( northern ) and Zuid- ( southern ).

The total distance between the two extremities of the channel is of 122,5 km, and the Dénivellation of 40 meters. In order to cure this unevenness, it was necessary to build 21 lock S. the channel was dug without machines; its construction cost 4,45 million guilder S.

In the the Sixties, the part of the channel located in the center and at the south of the town of Maastricht was filled to allow the construction of the Boulevard of the Meuse ( Maasboulevard ). Since, the channel is a little shorter and starts with the Bassin .

Project of deviation of Wood-the-Duke

In the new Dutch project of circulation and transport, Zuid-Willemsvaart was integrated in the principal network of the River navigation. Consequently, the channel must be accessible to the boats from the class IV. For the moment (at the beginning of 2007), the channel crosses the center of Wood-the-Duke before joining the Meuse. The route between Den Dungen and the Meuse are accessible only to the boats from class II, and thus of a too restricted gauge to meet the needs.

In order to solve this problem of gauge, one projects to dig a new branch of the channel between Den Dungen and the Meuse, while going along the A2, between Wood-the-Duke and Rosmalen. This project is envisaged at the same time as the widening of A2 and will have to be finished before 2014. The Zuid-Willemsvaart old man will not disappear therefore the center town Wood-the-Duke, but it will not be used any more for the river transport.

External references, sources, bonds

References

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