As Amsterdam grows, more and more people are making the daily trip over the IJ between Amsterdam Centraal and Amsterdam Noord. In order to make travel between these parts of the city easier, the municipality has drawn up several plans, under its Jump over the IJ campaign, which will see two new bridges and one pedestrian tunnel constructed over the coming years. 

Jump over the IJ: Fast, easy, and safe travel in Amsterdam 

According to the municipality of Amsterdam, around 67.000 people take the ferry over the IJ every day - and that that number could grow to 110.00 per day by 2030. There are also plans in place to build 150.000 new homes long the IJ in Amsterdam and Zaanstad. The city is therefore looking for safe and “future-proof” ways to improve this connection without hindering the water traffic - around 160.000 ships sail through the IJ every year!

Amsterdam has been discussing options to construct a permanent crossing across the IJ since 1839. Back in 2015, 77 different ideas were presented to connect the two sides of the city.  Ultimately, the city settled on the Jump over the IJ campaign, which is made up of five measures:

• Improving and expanding ferry connections 
• Extending the North / South line with Sixhaven metro station
• Constructing two bridges
• Constructing a pedestrian tunnel

In January, it was announced that plans for the Sixhaven metro station would not go ahead due to the cost of the project. The construction of the new metro station has been postponed indefinitely. 

Two brand new bridges coming to Amsterdam

After being advised by the D’Hooghe independent advisory committee, the municipality has settled on plans for the future of the project and the dream of a bridge over the IJ is one step closer to becoming a reality. 

Jump over the IJ will see a bridge erected between Johan van Hasseltweg and Azartplein, with another bridge between the NDSM Wharf and Haparandadam. A tunnel designed for pedestrians (not cyclists) will be constructed between Amsterdam Centraal and Amsterdam Noord, and the Amsterdamsebrug will be adapted to accommodate additional cyclists and public transport. Lastly, the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam will be moved further west, from Piet Heinkade to the Westerhoofd in Coenhaven.