Weser Bridge closed at night: A1 motorway is facing major problems!

Weser Bridge closed at night: A1 motorway is facing major problems!

The bridge over the Weser, an important structure on the A1 motorway, is currently making a name for itself. Those responsible have decided to close the bridge repeatedly at night until the end of the year due to its dilapidated condition. How buten and within reported, the closures will begin on the night of Saturday to Sunday, with further checks continuing one weekend a month until the end of the year. The exact closing times are crucial here: in the direction of Osnabrück the road remains closed between 10 p.m. and midnight, while in the direction of Hamburg the route is blocked from two a.m. to four a.m.

What exactly is behind these measures? DEGES, which is responsible for planning and construction, initiated the controls to check the stability of the bridge. It's not just a routine investigation - the bridge is under special observation, especially after the tragic collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden in September 2024. This event has brought many structures in Germany into focus, with experts expecting a major wave of renovations, similar to what is already being seen in Berlin daily news reported.

Weser Bridge construction site – the details

Construction phase II is now beginning on the Weser Bridge, which will involve a lane closure in the direction of Osnabrück. This is also supported by DEGES, as explained in a press release. This is a clear indication that the bridge is not only dilapidated, but is also being actively placed in the hands of construction experts who are working hard to ensure safety and burden traffic as little as possible. Diversions for cars across the Bremen city area are necessary during the closure times, which requires some patience from drivers.

In the recent past, the challenges facing bridges in Germany have increased. As bridge inspector Rico Thumeyer notes, a careful look is essential. Smaller cracks that initially seem uncritical can turn out to be harbingers of larger problems, especially in prestressed concrete structures that are susceptible to corrosion. Bridges like the Märkische-Allee Bridge are regularly inspected, and it is predicted that the maintenance backlog has been increasing for years. The Weser Bridge is also examined particularly closely in this context.

Future challenges

The condition of the bridge over the Weser is not just a local political problem, but part of a larger, Germany-wide issue. With more trucks on the road than ever before and a maintenance backlog of over a decade, road safety is in imminent danger. Experts such as Christian Müller, CEO of the AIV, point out that the bridges of the future will have to withstand an enormous load. However, the answers to these challenges are often expensive and time-consuming.

The coming weeks and months are likely to be a test of patience for road users in Bremen. With the night-time closures and diversions, all road users have to accept an additional detour. So we can only hope that the work on the Weser Bridge will be carried out quickly and efficiently so that the important structure can be driven over smoothly again as quickly as possible.