HGK AG dismantles bridge in Bonn-Dransdorf

In the coming weeks, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG will dismantle the rail bridge over Justus-von-Liebig-Straße in Bonn-Dransdorf. For this to be performed, the area must be closed to all traffic including pedestrians starting 1 June 2023 and is expected to remain closed until 17 June 2023.

The railway bridge was originally a goods link between what was then the Vorgebirgsbahn and the German Railways (DB) network. It was built by the City of Bonn as part of the widening of Justus-von-Liebig-Straße in 1975. Once it was completed, the structure was handed on to the Köln-Bonner Eisenbahn, which then operated the route and the successor of which is HGK. By 1984, however, rail traffic over the bridge was stopped. Since then the siding that runs across the bridge is no longer used. It ends in a residential development and is no longer connected to the urban rail network.

It has meanwhile been determined in an inspection that some of the prestressing steel used by the city in the building of the bridge was defective. Although there has been no rail traffic on the bridge since 1984, there remains a traffic hazard owing to the defects in the material. To remove all possible risks, there is no alternative for HGK AG other than to demolish the 1000-tonne bridge.

While doing so, the Justus-von-Liebig-Straße will be closed to all traffic near the bridge, including pedestrians. All access roads will remain open and all homes can be reached. A marked detour is in place for motor traffic via the Maximilian-Kolbe-Brücke, the Hohe Straße and Soenneckenstraße. Pedestrians and cyclists can bypass the work site via the Bendenweg.

The vibrations caused by the demolition will be constantly measured and monitored. A ‘fall bed’ of over 1000 tonnes of gravel sand will be placed under the bridge, up to three metres in height, to dampen any deflections as much as possible. To prevent any inconveniences to the occupants of adjacent buildings caused by the demolition, low-vibration machinery such as concrete pulverisers and shears will be used wherever possible.