Overview
- The infrastructure ministry concluded the prestressed-concrete span south of Leipzig cannot be salvaged following targeted checks in recent days.
- Commissioned expert Thomas Bösche found broken wires in two of five opened tendons with many additional fissures, voiding the prior ten‑year service-life estimate.
- The state road authority was instructed to begin planning an Ersatzneubau immediately as the only practical near-term solution.
- From Thursday, 20 November, only vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes may use the crossing, heavy traffic will detour via the A38/A14 Leipzig ring, and speeds will be reduced with one lane in each direction.
- Steel samples are undergoing laboratory analysis with results expected by the end of November to guide next steps, and the B2 bridge carries about 30,000 vehicles daily between Markkleeberg and Leipzig.