Within the next few years Strukton Railinfra will revive the railway between Maastricht in the Netherlands and the Belgian town of Lanaken. This single-track railway connection has been unused since the 80s. As a consequence nature has taken over the track. Bridges and tunnels along this railway are in bad repair as well.

A stretch of track with a length of four kilometres will be renewed and six railway structures will be subject to the necessary renovation work. The Meuse bridge, with a span of of 220 metres including a bascule mechanism for the passage of large vessels, is the most prominent of these structures.

Since the area around the track has gone wild, measures will have to be taken in order to protect the wildlife and vegetation. For instance, various types of (temporary) fences as well as 2000 metres of stacked walls will be constructed. These measures will be put in place because of the presence of wall lizards, viviparous lizards and the blindworm.These three species are all protected on the basis of the Bern Convention.

The tender procedure for this project took 2 years. Carrying out the actual work will take about the same amount of time.The first trains between Maastrischt and Lanaken are set to recommence service in the first half of 2009.