Germany is having to invest heavily in a series of Autobahn bridge maintenance, upgrade and replacement projects as well as widening key Autobahn routes. The country’s state-owned roads business, Autobahn GmbH, is managing a series of bridge and highway upgrade projects across the country, with a focus on improving or replacing many ageing concrete structures. Routes suffering from heavy congestion are being widened to boost capacity. Local authorities are also carrying out bridge maintenance and replacement works as well as road upgrades.
Work is being carried out for the A61 route to replace the bridges at Tiefenbachtal and Pfädchensgraben, to the East of Frankfurt. The Tiefenbachtal bridge will be demolished in 2027 with demolition work for the Pfädchensgraben being completed in late 2027. The upgrade project involves widening the route so that it features three lanes in either direction, boosting capacity and is due for completion by the close of 2029.
Work is being carried out to the Brunsbecke Valley Bridge that forms part of the A45. A weigh-in-motion system has been installed, with heavy trucks being diverted away from the structure. The technology is being used temporarily to extend its life, allowing time for a replacement bridge to be built and which is due for completion in 2029. The nearby Rahmede Valley Bridge had to be closed to traffic in 2021 due to concerns over its structural integrity. Built in the 1960s, it had developed major structural problems and was finally demolished in 2023.
Also on the A45 route, a stretch of the road between the Dortmund-West junction and Dortmund-Hafen junction is being closed by Autobahn GmbH for eight months. This will allow for the demolition of an old bridge and the construction of a new bridge. The old bridge opened to traffic in 1971 and is no longer able to cope with the 85,000 vehicles/day it has to handle.
Demolition work is also being carried out of the Mainbrücke Marktbreit bridge on the A7. This project is being carried out by Implenia and Plauen Stahl Technologies for client Autobahn GmbH.
Work is commencing for the new A59 Berliner Brücke (Berlin Bridge) spanning the River Ruhr in Duisburg. The new 1.8km bridge will also span the harbour area, replacing an older crossing with structural issues. The project forms part of a wider series of works to upgrade and widen the A59 in the Duisurg area so that it features three lanes in either direction for a length of nearly 7km. This will boost capacity and cut congestion in the area. The work is planned by Autobahn GmbH as an elevated highway running through the district of Meiderich, although there has been opposition to the project from residents in the area.
