Amsterdam alderwoman Melanie van der Horst was aware that projected costs for the planned Oostbrug bridge across the IJ had doubled months before the municipal elections, according to internal documents obtained through public disclosure requests.
Official documents kept using an outdated figure of 325 million euros, despite municipal staff warning the alderwoman that actual expenses were set to range between 650 million and 850 million euros.
Election timing discussed
Internal communications show that civil servants explicitly discussed whether to release the updated figures before or after the municipal election. Staff prepared a cost breakdown update in November 2025, specifically advising on how to handle the financial timing ahead of the vote.
By early December 2025, officials received final cost calculations that triggered alarm internally, with staff agreeing to limit distribution of the estimates to a very small circle for the time being.
Omitted from council reports
In February 2026, Van der Horst met with officials who confirmed the updated price range, meaning even the most conservative estimate doubled the initial budget.
During that meeting, officials decided to continue using the lower 325 million euro figure in official investment notes while omitting a formal progress update to the city council.
Instead, the municipality added only a general footnote indicating costs might rise, leaving the municipal council without the specific figures before campaigning began.
Campaign claims
Throughout the campaign, Van der Horst highlighted the City of Amsterdam‘s commitment to building bridges over the IJ as a key political achievement, assuring voters during media debates that funding was secured for the project.
Just eight days before the election, staff presented her with a detailed breakdown of how the 650 million to 850 million euro price tag was calculated.
The updated numbers were only made public several months after voters went to the polls, requiring the city to set aside an additional 100 million euros in extra funding.
