Bridge construction Detmerode-Westhagen
In 2016, the city of Wolfsburg adopted a cycling mission statement with the aim of continuously increasing the proportion of total traffic accounted for by cycling. In order to achieve this goal, a coherent, safe, convenient network of footpaths and cycle paths with few detours is required. The construction of the new bridge between Detmerode and Westhagen and the extension of the adjoining cycle paths are a building block in the city's overall structure. The bridge over Braunschweiger Straße will be renewed from August 2020 until probably fall 2021. The total construction costs amount to almost 3 million euros. The state of Lower Saxony is funding the construction project with approx. 60%.
The residents of the neighboring districts are longing for the new bridge to be built. The former pedestrian bridge to the east of the Braunschweiger Straße / Konrad-Adenauer-Allee junction was of great importance for pedestrians, cyclists and schoolchildren. Both in the context of the city as a whole and, in particular, as a gap closure between the districts of Detmerode and Westhagen, the new construction of the bridge plays an important role against the background of current and future developments in the city of Wolfsburg. To improve the conditions for cycling, the cycle path network in the Detmerode and Westhagen districts is to be optimized and the connection to the school locations expanded. The new construction of a technical school with a day care center and accommodation for residential groups in the vicinity of the Heinrich Nordhoff comprehensive school also means that public transport and cycling services are to be expanded. This means that connecting the school complex and the Westhagen district to the cycle path network is becoming increasingly important.
The bridge construction forms an important part of the urban bike path network. Among other things, the new bridge closes the gap in the secondary route that runs along the former city road through the scenic and quiet landscape conservation area 'Rothehofer Forst, Klieversberg and Detmerode. Without having to dismount, the Braunschweiger Straße can be crossed above ground and destinations of everyday, educational and leisure traffic can be reached comfortably. But the new bridge is also of major importance for pedestrians and in particular schoolchildren, since the nearest options for crossing Braunschweiger Strasse are 1.4 kilometers further east at Rabenberg and 0.5 kilometers further west at Detmeroder Kreuz. The accessibility of the connection will also be improved.
What we do for you:
- Complete reconstruction of the former pedestrian bridge as a joint pedestrian/bicycle bridge with a width of 4 m and a railing height of 1.30 m.
- Adaptation of the ramps to the new dimensions and the expanded user group of the bridge
- Basic renewal of the bike lanes to the south in the direction of Kurt-Schumacher-Ring and to the north in the direction of Heinrich-Nordhoff-Gesamtschule, totaling approx. 1,100 m
- Expansion to 5 m width for separately guided pedestrian and bicycle traffic and 4 m width for the jointly guided pedestrian and bicycle lane
- Adaptation of street lighting for bicycle traffic
- Illumination of the handrails of the bridge structure for uniform illumination of the walking surface
Current status
What to expect in each phase of construction:
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Phase 0
- Duration approx. 4 weeks
- Execution of preparatory works
- provisional paving of central reservation and edge paving
- reduction of speed to 50 km/h
- temporary restrictions in traffic flow
- complete shutdown of street lighting along Braunschweiger Straße in the section between the Rabenberg bus stop and the BAB 39 motorway for the entire period of the new bridge construction
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Phase 1
- 20 - 90 % construction progress
- Traffic routing until approximately the end of November 2021
- the lanes will be swung outwards in two lanes on the north and south side
- the lane coming from Detmerode will be marked with a stop sign, please pay attention when entering the lane
- the exit in direction Westhagen is shortened, the speed has to be adjusted accordingly
- a clearance height of 4 meters can be guaranteed
- construction traffic is to be expected
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Phase 2
- 60 to 90 % construction progress
- Duration approx. 5 months
- Bridge construction over the lanes in the direction of the city center
- Traffic will be diverted to the north past the construction site area
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Phase 2
- 90 to 100 % Construction progress
- Removal of the temporary roadways
- Construction of protective facilities (crash barriers, etc.)
- Covering of topsoil
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Current status of construction work (as of 10.09.2021, 15:00)
Communication 10.09.2021
New structure across Braunschweiger Strasse
Walkway and cycle path bridge is completed - Three million euros invested
Lars LandmannAbout a year after the groundbreaking ceremony, the pedestrian and bicycle bridge that crosses Braunschweiger Straße has been completed. Lord Mayor Klaus Mohrs, City Planning Officer Kai-Uwe Hirschheide and a small circle of representatives from politics and administration have now approved the new construction. The bridge thus replaces the structure that was demolished in October 2015. The project cost a total of around three million euros. The state of Lower Saxony is subsidizing the project with around 1.8 million euros.
At the height of the service area, the new reinforced concrete bridge crosses the four-lane access road at the old location. It has a length of around 90 meters and stands out due to its special, high-quality and site-specific design. However, it fits particularly well into the design of the bridge family along Braunschweiger Strasse. Thus, the often desired direct connection between Detmerode and Westhagen was created again at this point. In the course of the overall project, bicycle traffic was promoted at the same time and thus corresponds to the goals of the mobility concept of the city of Wolfsburg.
Lars LandmannIn the course of the new construction between the two districts, a total of 1.1 kilometers of sidewalks and bike paths parallel to the Kurt-Schumacher-Ring and Suhler Straße were also qualitatively renewed and optimized in terms of accessibility. The width of the bridge is four meters in accordance with the recommendation for bicycle traffic facilities.
The construction time was about 13 months, which was about three months shorter than originally forecast. During the construction period, there were also temporary slight traffic disruptions because the lanes had to be narrowed and the speed reduced. However, both directions of travel remained generally passable. As a result, there were no major backups at any time on this main access road to Wolfsburg.
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Truss towers
Two truss towers were erected along Braunschweiger Strasse. With a loading beam, they show the current construction progress of the new footbridge and cycle path bridge.
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July 31, 2020: Groundbreaking
On July 31, 2020, the long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony was held on Braunschweiger Straße, but only on a small scale due to the Corona pandemic. The ceremony was attended by Lord Mayor Klaus Mohrs, City Planning Commissioner Kai-Uwe-Hirschheide, local mayors Matthias Presia (Mitte-West) and Ralf Mühlisch (Detmerode), local mayor Ludmilla Neuwirth (Westhagen) as well as the chairman of the planning and building committee Frank Richter and Hans-Georg Bachmann.
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Press releases
Press release 10.09.2021
New structure across Braunschweiger Strasse
Walkway and cycle path bridge is completed - Three million euros invested
Around a year after the groundbreaking ceremony, the pedestrian and cycle bridge that crosses Braunschweiger Straße is now complete. Lord Mayor Klaus Mohrs, City Planning Officer Kai-Uwe Hirschheide and a small circle of representatives from politics and administration have now approved the new construction. The bridge thus replaces the structure that was demolished in October 2015. The project cost a total of around three million euros. The state of Lower Saxony is subsidizing the project with around 1.8 million euros.At the height of the service area, the new reinforced concrete bridge crosses the four-lane access road at the old location. It has a length of around 90 meters and stands out due to its special, high-quality and site-specific design. However, it fits particularly well into the design of the bridge family along Braunschweiger Strasse. Thus, the often desired direct connection between Detmerode and Westhagen was created again at this point. In the course of the overall project, bicycle traffic was promoted at the same time, thus meeting the goals of the mobility concept of the city of Wolfsburg.
In the course of the new construction between the two districts, a total of 1.1 kilometers of sidewalks and bike paths parallel to the Kurt-Schumacher-Ring and Suhler Straße were also qualitatively renewed and optimized in terms of accessibility. The width of the bridge is four meters in accordance with the recommendation for bicycle traffic facilities.The construction time was about 13 months, which was about three months shorter than originally forecast. During the construction period, there were also temporary slight traffic disruptions because the lanes had to be narrowed and the speed reduced. However, both directions of travel remained generally passable. As a result, there were no major backups at any time on this main access road to Wolfsburg.
Press release 29.06.2021
Further deconstruction at the bridge
Braunschweiger Straße also two lanes inbound
The dismantling of the temporary structures at the construction site of the bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Braunschweiger Straße has now also begun on the roadway leading into the city, so that traffic routing will return to its original form this week. Due to the deconstruction itself, which will be carried out during the off-peak hours, temporary restrictions may still occur during the next two weeks. During peak traffic periods, two lanes will be available in each direction. "As a result, no more major obstructions to traffic flow are expected," explains Oliver Iversen, head of the Road Construction and Project Coordination division.Press release 02.06.2021
Deconstruction in the roadway area begins
Braunschweiger Straße at the bridge temporarily only single lane
The construction site for the bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Braunschweiger Straße is taking a decisive step forward. Now that the crash barriers have been completely installed on both sides, the temporary roadway structures will be removed from Monday, June 7. In this context, traffic will be temporarily restricted to one lane in both directions. However, this work will take place outside peak traffic times, so that no major obstructions to traffic flow are expected.From Thursday, June 10 onwards, the temporary traffic routing out of town is to be gradually lifted. It is expected that as early as June 10, it will once again be possible to exit in the direction of Westhagen via the ramp in the old form. From June 22, the traffic routing out of town is to run again via the old directional lane. "I am pleased about the good progress of the construction work and that an end to the traffic restrictions is foreseeable," affirms city construction manager Kai-Uwe Hirschheide.
Because the dates and therefore also the traffic routing can change due to weather conditions or construction progress, the city asks for increased attention during this time.
Press release 21.04.2021
Bridge Braunschweiger Straße: The structure becomes visible
Now that the formwork of the bridge structure has been largely removed, the structure is already visible in its final form. In particular, the special slender design form and the effect of the structure in good interaction with the other bridge family on Braunschweiger Straße can already be seen clearly.
However, a number of work steps are still necessary before the bridge can be opened to traffic. Currently, work is being carried out in particular on the drainage of the structure. Surface sealing is necessary and drainage facilities such as gutters and drains have to be installed. In the next step, the terrain behind the structure must also be backfilled and compacted.
"After years of restrictions on the connection between Detmerode and Westhagen, our goal is to open the bridge as quickly as possible. Here, however, I must still ask for a little patience. However, it can already be seen that the bridge has been well designed in addition to its functional value," says city building official Kai-Uwe Hirschheide, who is particularly pleased with the good progress of construction.
The traffic routing at the construction site will continue to require restrictions because the sheet piles still have to be removed, especially at the central pier, and the crash barriers are still missing. Following the bridge construction, the adjacent cycle path network will be upgraded to make it barrier-free.Press release 18.03.2021
Bridge over the Braunschweiger Straße is concreted
Now that the damage to the bridge over Braunschweiger Straße in Wolfsburg caused by a truck has been repaired, the next work steps on the new structure are on the agenda. First, it is planned to pour concrete for the superstructure on Wednesday, March 24. From Friday, March 26, the tendons will then be pressed. This will involve prestressing the individual tension wires to around 150 bar using a hydraulic bundle press in accordance with the necessary structural calculations.
From Monday, March 29, to Tuesday, March 30, a night closure of Braunschweiger Straße is planned between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.. The reason for this is the removal of the substructure of the bridge structure in this area.
Due to the night hours, only minor traffic restrictions are expected. The city asks all traffic participants for their understanding.
Press release 09.03.2021
Traffic flows again on two strips
Due to additional work, the construction schedule is postponed
The damage assessment following the accident on the new structure of the bridge over Braunschweiger Straße in Detmerode was completed last week. The shoring has been realigned in position and height and approved by a structural engineer. Against this background, traffic has also been flowing again on two lanes in the direction of the city center for several days. However, the additional work to repair the damage has delayed the construction schedule by around one month. Currently, a concrete pour date is targeted for around the end of March.Even though this accident represented the first approach to the falsework, the City of Wolfsburg asks all truck drivers to strictly adhere to the permissible loading heights in order to prevent further damage. "All safety measures for the structure are currently being rechecked for effectiveness and, if necessary, tightened," explains Oliver Iversen, head of the Road Construction and Project Coordination Division. However, the planned handover date is not in jeopardy at the moment because the delays can be absorbed in the ongoing construction process.
Press release 11.01.2021
Braunschweiger Straße closed
Repair work of the damaged height limit on the new bridge construction
Due to repair work on the damaged height restriction on the new Braunschweiger Straße bridge, the bridge will have to be closed briefly on Tuesday, January 12.
The repair will be carried out with full closure of the flowing traffic by means of a lift-picker. Inbound repairs are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. and outbound repairs from 7:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Road users are requested to form a rescue lane for possible emergency vehicle operations, thus avoiding unnecessary loss of time.
Press release from 24.11.2020
Temporarily only one lane
Bicycle and pedestrian bridge in Detmerode
During the preparations for the supporting structure for concreting the new bicycle and pedestrian bridge in Detmerode, unexpected complications arose last night. Towards the city, a damaged area has formed in the area on Braunschweiger Straße, which is now to be removed as quickly as possible. As a result, only one lane is temporarily available in this direction. Traffic is expected to return to normal in the course of the morning.Despite the night's stress, all those involved are working flat out to clear the road so that the two lanes in each direction will be available again as quickly as possible. There were minor obstructions in rush-hour traffic in the morning hours because traffic in Wolfsburg is currently reduced and those participating in the traffic apparently also continued to use the detour. For the unplanned short-term restrictions, the city asks for understanding.
The Braunschweiger Straße will also be fully closed in the following two nights until Thursday, November 26, in each case in the time between 8 pm and 6 am, and the traffic will then be moved widely. Appropriate signage is in place. Traffic will be diverted from Braunschweig via highway 39 to the Wolfsburg exit (Heinrich-Nordhoff-Strasse) and in the opposite direction from the city.
Press release 17.11.2020
Bridge over Braunschweiger Straße
Work on new building progresses rapidly - Three-day night closure
Work is progressing rapidly on the construction of the new pedestrian and cycle bridge over Braunschweiger Straße in Wolfsburg, which connects Detmerode and Westhagen. For the next phase, it is now necessary to construct the supporting structure for concreting the final structure. For this purpose, a prefabricated shoring structure will be suspended over Braunschweiger Strasse. For this purpose, Braunschweiger Strasse will have to be fully closed.Traffic restrictions are scheduled for the three nights from Monday, November 23, to Thursday, November 26. In the time between 20 o'clock and 6 o'clock the traffic is then shifted in each case largely. Appropriate signposting has been prepared. Traffic will be rerouted from Braunschweig via highway 39 to the Wolfsburg exit (Heinrich-Nordhoff-Strasse) and in the opposite direction from the city.
Due to the night hours, only minor traffic restrictions are expected. The city asks for the understanding of all traffic participants.
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If you drive by car
- During the construction work, there will still be two lanes in each direction
- During the first construction phase, the lanes from the A39 into the city will be routed via the service area.
- the speed will be reduced to 50 km/h
- From Monday, August 31, the lighting system on Braunschweiger Straße between the Rabenberg bus stop and the BAB 39 motorway will be taken out of service for the duration of the new bridge construction. The entrance and exit lanes in the area of the Detmeroder Kreuz interchange and the bus stops located there will continue to be illuminated. As a result, the driver's eye is accustomed to the darkness when arriving at the construction site, the traffic regulation and barriers, in particular beacons and warning lights, within the construction site can be easily perceived and the traffic routing can be followed more easily.
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When you travel by bus
- the measure has no direct impact on bus traffic
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If you are traveling on foot/bike
- pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be guided along the construction site with some restrictions
- one of these restrictions is the complete shutdown of the street lighting along Braunschweiger Straße in the section between the Rabenberg bus stop and the BAB 39 motorway
