- New bridge over the Hunts
A floating crane has installed the new section of the railway bridge over the Hunte river at Elsfleth in the Wesermarsch district. "So far, everything is going according to plan," a railway spokesperson said in the morning. The installation of the approximately 58-ton, 24-meter-long bridge section took slightly over an hour. During the construction work, the Hunte is closed to inland shipping.
On July 23, a tanker ship collided with the railway bridge. The bridge and the overhead lines were so severely damaged that rail traffic had to be suspended. The bridge was also a temporary one, as a barge had already collided with the railway bridge in February.
Before the railway bridge is operational again, the tracks and overhead lines need to be installed. According to the Ministry of Transport, the repair of the bridge is expected to be completed by August 24.
The tanker ship incident highlighted the vulnerability of the temporary railway bridge over the Hunte river. To ensure safety and prevent such occurrences in the future, additional safety measures for railway bridges will be considered.
