Repeated closure of bridges raises queries: How many more could be affected? - Another bridge shuttered once more - a count of closures amassing?
Hessen Faces Infrastructure Crisis: Another Bridge Collapses - How Safe Are the Remaining Structures?
In the Odenwald region, residents have been left stranded as a bridge shut down both the road and the railway line underneath, highlighting a broader issue of bridge safety across the region.
The recent closure has raised concerns about the state of bridges in Hessen. Responsibility for the upkeep of highway bridges, federal roads, state roads, and county roads is divided among the federal government, the Hessen state government, and the German Railway.
According to the Federal Association for the Maintenance of Concrete Structures, Hessen has one of the highest numbers of poorly rated highway bridges. Among eleven highway bridges in Hessen with a rating of 3.5 or worse, notable examples include the Lemptal Bridge and the Tal Bridge Bechlingen, both in Lahn-Dill district, and the Tal Bridge Welkers in Fulda district.
However, when asked about the condition of bridges on federal, state, and county roads in Hessen, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport in Wiesbaden stated that they were generally in good condition. The ministry oversees approximately 5,400 bridge sections in the region, of which 235 need short to medium-term repairs.
A total of 2,122 railway bridges are in Hessen, as reported by the railway company. High investments are planned for the future to ensure their renewal. All 2,122 bridges are regularly inspected, with plans to replace two 19th-century structures in Kassel by the end of 2023 and another bridge in Frankfurt in the coming years.
The Talbrücke near Zell, a district of Bad König, has been closed in both directions since the end of April following a bridge inspection. The bridge must be demolished, and rail transit has been diverted as a precautionary measure. A 20-kilometer detour is recommended for vehicles, causing frustration for local residents.
This scenario echoes a similar incident in Wiesbaden in 2021, when concrete chunks fell from the Salzbachtalbrücke, ultimately closing the bridge and nearby rail lines.
Although specific data on the number of poorly rated bridges in Hessen is not available, a study shows that over 10% of evaluated bridges across Germany were rated as unsatisfactory or inadequate[1]. It is crucial to consult local authorities or relevant government reports for detailed information on bridge conditions in Hessen.
[1] German Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) - https://bast.bund.de/[2] Hessen State Ministry of Transport: https://www.mobilitaet.hessen.de/[3] German Railway: https://www.bahn.de/[4] 'More than 10% of bridges in Germany are in an unsatisfactory or inadequate state' - FAZ, 25.02.2021: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/verkehr/mehr-als-10-prozent-der-brucken-in-deutschland-sind-in-einem-unsuffizienten-zustand-17459785.html
In light of the bridge crisis in Hessen, there is a pressing need for the community to reevaluate its policy regarding vocational training, particularly in the areas of civil engineering and bridge maintenance, to ensure the safety of the region's infrastructure. This necessity is further accentuated by the large number of poorly rated bridges in Hessen, as reported by the Federal Association for the Maintenance of Concrete Structures, and the substantial investment required for the renewal of railway bridges, as mentioned by the railway company. Financial resources should be allocated towards the improvement and upkeep of bridges, while transportation systems may need to be redesigned to mitigate the impact of bridge closures on the community.
