Photo: www.gooienvechthistorisch.nl (SAGV032.2)
Viaduct Johan Geradtsweg, Nederlandsche Spoorwegen
1928-1936 / W.M. Dudok
Johan Geradtsweg, Hilversum
On February 1, 1930, the new viaduct over the Amsterdam-Amersfoort railway was put into use. In any case, for the motorists, the problem of waiting at the level crossings was over. How else would one have thought if one knew during the negotiations about the railway in 1870-1873 that by 1925 all the barriers would be closed half the time? , Mayor Lambooy wondered.
The viaduct was built by the Dutch Railways, who had developed the design based on Dudok’s sketches. The straight, strict line of the viaduct is never interrupted. The viaduct is 6.15 meters high and has two stairs.
The director of Public Works, ir. J.F. Groote, imagined a beautiful planting of the embankments and a beautiful connecting road with gently sloping ramps. The sand for the construction of the viaduct was obtained from the pond that was created at the Noorderbegraafplaats. During construction, the viaduct was made higher due to the electrification of the Amsterdam-Amersfoort railway line. The viaduct was not completely ready when it opened, but function took precedence over beauty. The viaduct was still in a remote corner of the municipality. It was expected, however, that this would not be the case for long, as the congregation expanded rapidly on the north side. The viaduct was an indispensable link in the Hilversum road plan, but also in the regional road network. The Dutch Railways were also happy that they could contribute to the flow of traffic, because they always called there they are again, which hinder our traffic.
Source: Annette Koenders, Hilversum. Architectuur en Stedenbouw 1850-1940, Zwolle (2001).
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Johan Geradtsweg, Hilversum