The Netherlands built a bridge that partially floods when it rains

Rutger Hollander

A woman jogs along the Zalige bridge in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

In low-lying Dutch cities, sea-level rise poses a real threat to communties, especially those along the coast. For centuries, dykes have helped manage severe flooding in the seaside town of Nijmegen, for example. But as PRI notes, even those structures are starting to crack, putting the city's infrastructure at risk.

Instead of fighting the rising tides, architects have designed a bridge that adapts to rising sea levels in Nijmegen. Dutch design firms Next Architects and H+N+S Landscape Architects created the Zalige bridge, which is meant to partially flood after storms.

Even when water submerges the bridge, pedestrians can still use its stepping stones to cross it.

Check it out below.