Rijkswaterstaat infrastructure systems began gradually resuming operations on Saturday, June 27, 2026, following a nationwide technical malfunction that disabled central controls for waterways and roads.
The Dutch infrastructure agency communicated updates through social media platform X due to ongoing website outages.
Recovery Progress
"De eerste systemen komen inmiddels weer in de lucht, wat een hoopgevend signaal is," stated Rijkswaterstaat officials on X.
The central administration of bridges, locks, and tunnels ceased functioning across the country due to the technical issue.
Additionally, Rijkswaterstaat lost camera surveillance capabilities and the ability to display traffic warnings, such as red lane closures, on overhead matrix signs.
"De storing is nog niet opgelost, maar de ontwikkelingen gaan de goede kant op," the agency added regarding the current status of the recovery efforts.
The nationwide disruption originated during maintenance work on a fiber optic cable.
While repair teams commenced troubleshooting immediately, the total duration required for full restoration remains undetermined, causing personnel to operate certain locks and bridges manually.
"Als je nu op een bootje aan het dobberen bent, kan het dus zijn dat bepaalde bruggen of sluizen op dit moment niet of minder snel werken," said a spokeswoman for Rijkswaterstaat.
The agency advised water travelers to plan ahead due to manual operational delays and changing weather conditions.
"Aangezien het straks gaat onweren, moet je dus wel zorgen dat je vroeg genoeg omkeert om naar huis te gaan," the spokeswoman warned.
