The Grotestraat bridge is a vertical lifting bridge that was originally lifted with cables, in closed loop via counterweights, driven by electric motors via an open gear system. 
This drive was very outdated, very maintenance-intensive and no longer sufficiently reliable.

Vandezande, in collaboration with its sister company Vameco, reengineered the original electromechanical drive to a fully hydraulic one. 

The bridge was supported in the raised position so that ship traffic would not be obstructed during the works.
The old drive and mechanical parts were completely dismantled and the counterweights were manipulated out of the towers.
The lifting towers were fully blasted inside and out and re-preserved.
A hydraulic cylinder with bearings was placed on each lifting tower, which in turn is connected to the bridge deck.
In the machine cellar on each bank a hydraulic group was placed that feeds the cylinders on the respective bank.