An 80-kilometre long Waal experience
The dykes on the northern bank of the river Waal have to be reinforced based on an urgent need for water safety. As a result of this, the road over the dyke must also be replaced; a great opportunity to make the Waaldijk more welcoming and more liveable. On the initiative of the ANWB (Royal Dutch Touring Club), Waterschap Rivierenland (Rivierenland Water Board), the province of Gelderland and municipalities involved have drawn up a plan for the construction of an 80-kilometre long recreational route along the river Waal. Win-win!

The story of the Waal
The goal of the project is to put the river Waal on the map for recreation and tourism by means of a route design for the Waaldijk from Nijmegen to Gorkum. The story of the Waal is a story about water safety and about shipping traffic, with a river park under development in between. The layout of the renewed Waaldijk must tell these three storylines together.

Welcoming Waaldijk
In order to achieve a dyke characterised by traffic safety and recreation, OKRA has made a design for the layout of the entire northern Waaldijk route, executed in five separate dyke reinforcement procedures. The wishes of the people living in the immediate area are also included in the design, with benches, flowery dikes and viewpoints. Hikers, cyclists and fast traffic are welcome in Welcoming Waaldijk and in the river park, and can safely enjoy the nature and the water flowing past there together while being insured of keeping their feet dry. This is the welcoming dyke of the future!