The pace of bridge modernization is to be accelerated.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) sees a great need for action on the motorway bridges. The liberal made that clear this Thursday after a bridge summit with representatives of the industry. The intensive use of the German infrastructure has left its mark – especially on the bridges.
For the first time, a Germany-wide analysis was carried out by the federally owned Autobahn GmbH. Of the 52,386 so-called partial structures in Germany, 8,000 partial structures are so dilapidated that they have to be repaired or renewed. These are mostly small bridges. In the case of motorway bridges, there is a partial structure for each carriageway.
However, well-known negative examples such as the 453-metre-long Rahmede viaduct on the A45 federal highway prompt the Minister of Transport to act more quickly. Wissing called for significant progress in the bridge renovation in order to avoid unforeseeable risks and years of closure.
“The pace of bridge modernization must be doubled,” said the FDP politician. “Our country depends on an efficient infrastructure. Modern bridges are a very important part of that.”
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4000 bridges are to be renewed by 2030. From 2026, 2.5 billion instead of one billion euros are to be invested in this. In addition, the Federal Highway Authority is to be strengthened.
Shortage of skilled workers leads to prioritization
In the past, too little was invested, Wissing said. A renovation backlog was allowed to occur and responsibility was shifted to the future.
Construction and engineering capacities were not sufficient to refurbish all buildings at the same time. The shortage of skilled workers is a big problem.
Therefore, it must be prioritized more. Motorway corridors are identified that are prioritized for traffic flow, and those bridges that are of outstanding logistical importance are rehabilitated first. According to the minister, other infrastructure measures in Germany should not be neglected.
The motorway company should operate an “active maintenance management” – also with the help of new digital methods of structural analysis. “More digitization, less bureaucracy, approval procedures should be accelerated,” said Wissing. He wants to set incentives for shorter construction times. Voting times should be shorter. “We rely on dialogue instead of confrontation. Nabu and Bund are showing great willingness.”
Do citizens have to prepare for more traffic jams? There shouldn’t be more traffic jams, Wissing asserted. “We have to act preventively and not wait until only a full closure is possible.”
More: Empty construction sites and traffic jams stretching for miles: Chaos at the Autobahn company