Overview
- The Autobahngesellschaft has scheduled full closures of one carriageway from Friday 21 August 21:00 to Monday 24 August 05:00 and the opposite carriageway from Friday 11 September 21:00 to Monday 14 September 05:00.
- Crews will use high-pressure flushing hoses on the transition and expansion constructions at each end of the bridge, and the joints must be enclosed during the work, which is why single-weekend closures are necessary.
- Inspectors found a 15-centimetre gap in a bridge transition element at the end of January, which led to emergency closures and months of repair work before traffic was reopened with one lane per direction.
- About 80,000 vehicles cross the 1966-built A52 span each day, so the weekend closures are expected to cause significant commuter delays and added congestion on alternative routes.
- Authorities are planning a new six-lane replacement for the aging bridge with preliminary work under way and a possible construction start around 2030, meaning further interim maintenance and restrictions are likely before the rebuild.