A key section of Germany’s busy A1 Autobahn is to be rebuilt, boosting capacity. The section running through Hamburg is one of the busiest Autobahn stretches in Germany and is notorious for delays, with widening work planned to increase capacity.
Construction work is scheduled to commence in 2026. The existing Elbe Crossing on the A1 will be replaced as it is reaching the end of its service life and is no longer able to cope with the traffic volumes it handles. The existing bridge also suffered extensive damage in 2014 when it was struck by a vessel.
Completed in 1963, the bridge will be replaced with a new structure that has been designed jointly by gmp and LAP, having won the design contract in 2019. Featuring eight pylons and carrying four lanes of traffic in either direction, the new cable-stayed structure will also have facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. It will provide additional capacity over the existing structure, which has three lanes.
The project has attracted some controversy, including opposition on environmental grounds.
Meanwhile the German government says that close to 25,000km of highways in the country require refurbishment. Around 33% of Federal roads (13,600km) need upgrading, while 1,000km of the Autobahn network is in need of improvement works. In addition, 1,156 bridges need to be refurbished.
