A new highway bridge in being planned for the German city of Cologne. Carrying the A4 autobahn over the River Rhine, the current Rodenkirchen Bridge is no longer able to cope with traffic demand.
Construction started on the existing bridge in 1952 and it opened to traffic in 1954, featuring a 378m central span. The current bridge over the Rhine at Cologne was built on the supports of the previous structure, erected between 1938 and 1940, which was destroyed in 1945. In 1990 widening work was commenced on the Rodenkirchen Bridge, which was completed in 1995. However, the steel suspension bridge now handles up to 135,000 vehicles /day and suffers heavy congestion at peak periods, with long delays for drivers particularly in the evening rush hour. The new bridge will feature four lanes in either direction, providing the additional capacity required.
