The gemeente of Utrecht announced on 6 October 2026 that a preliminary design has been approved for a new pedestrian bridge over the Singel, the canal that rings the old centre. It will link Wittevrouwensingel with Wolvenplein, the square beside the site of the former prison.

What the design looks like

According to the gemeente, the bridge is meant to be slender and unobtrusive yet stylish. It is a steel structure with a deck of recycled wooden planks. The preliminary design is by the engineering and design firm Ney & Partners.

The bridge has no supports in the water. The gemeente says this protects the historic Singel and its trees and lowers the risk of collisions with boats. It will be a fixed bridge, so boats and canoes can pass underneath. It can occasionally be opened for special operations, such as moving houseboats.

Why build it

The project page for the bridge explains the reasoning. Parking garage De Grifthoek has been used less than expected, and it has no direct pedestrian route to the city centre. A bridge would shorten the walk from the garage to Griftpark and the centre.

The gemeente says this fits its aim of reducing car traffic in the centre. The bridge is also tied to the mixed-use redevelopment around the former Wolvenplein prison, where the municipality says there will be more space for culture, homes and greenery. It has also said parking spaces on Wolvenplein can be removed and the space greened as part of the Singelpark.

Timeline

The gemeente's two pages differ slightly on timing. The news release says the preliminary design will be developed further into a final design this autumn, including a name for the bridge, and that construction is expected to start at the end of 2027. The project page lists the final design in 2027, a permit application in the second half of 2027, and procurement and construction from the end of 2027.

Residents were consulted several times. The project page lists residents' evenings in 2024 and 2025, online feedback through the DenkMee platform, and a public viewing of the preliminary design in January 2026.

What is not yet known

Neither page gives a construction cost or the bridge's dimensions. Both are worth watching for when the final design and permit application are published. The project is still in preparation, and the timetable is the gemeente's own expectation.

Questions can be sent to the project team at wolvenplein@utrecht.nl or by calling 14 030.