Dutch infrastructure admired abroad, but billions short at home: bridge crisis exposes growing political dilemma

The Netherlands built its reputation on world-class infrastructure. Now one of the country’s most important motorway bridges is becoming a symbol of a much larger problem. The sudden closure of the Merwede Bridge to heavy trucks has done more than disrupt freight traffic. It has reignited an uncomfortable debate in The Hague: how did a country internationally celebrated for its roads, bridges, waterways and logistics networks end up facing multibillion-euro maintenance backlogs — and who will pay the bill? Read on for the full story.