Contractors PORR and STRABAG are teaming up to carry out a challenging bridge replacement project in Austria. The two firms will demolish the Lueg Bridge in Austria’s scenic Tyrol region, replacing it with a new and improved structure.
The 1.8km Lueg Bridge forms part of the busy A13 Brenner Highway. Carrying around 32,000 vehicles/day, the bridge is now 55 years old and this complex structure has reached the end of its design life and is no longer able to cope with the traffic volumes it has to cope with. Single lane traffic is now being enforced on the bridge and construction work is due to commence shortly. To reduce congestion, a temporary second lane will be opened by means of special traffic guidance when required due to high vehicle volumes.
PORR CEO Karl-Heinz Strauss said: “It’s essential that bridges are kept shipshape and replaced at the end of their service life with state-of-the-art structures. Building the new Luegbrücke is a highly complex and challenging project with a very tight construction schedule. The extreme hillside location presents unparalleled logistical challenges for both the new construction and demolition, and the dimensions of the partial structure over the Sillschlucht gorge are also without peer in Austria. That’s why this project can only be handled by experts with a proven record in bridge construction. As PORR, we’re pleased to be able to provide our comprehensive know-how for this project.”
STRABAG CEO Klemens Haselsteiner said: “The Luegbrücke, a key part of the Brenner motorway and one of Austria’s busiest traffic routes, has reached its load limit after more than half a century. Our aim is to quickly build a new bridge that meets the highest safety requirements and provides a reliable connection for many decades to come, by means of careful planning and the use of cutting-edge construction methods”.
Hartwig Hufnagl, managing director of the client ASFINAG, confirmed: “Our award process was based on the best bidder principle and resulted in two absolutely proven partners in infrastructure construction who also have a strong regional connection. The construction costs of the new Luegbrücke are therefore also sustainable investments in Tyrol as a business location and living space. We bear great responsibility for safety and modern infrastructure, which is why our goal is clear: We want to start construction in spring 2025 and end the traffic restrictions at the end of 2027 with the completion of the first new bridge.”
According to PORR, the work is being carried out efficiently with the help of LEAN Construction. The first step involves a new support structure being built alongside the existing bridge by the end of 2027, which will then become the Innsbruck carriageway once the bridge is completed. Traffic will be diverted to this side so that the old structure can then be demolished in the second step. Finally, the second substructure will be built in place of the old bridge. After completion, this will become the Brenner carriageway. In the future, traffic will flow over two separate structures side by side. This will increase safety and traffic flow.
