New construction of the wooden bridge on Outer Canal Street starts now!

New construction of the wooden bridge on Outer Canal Street starts now!

A long-awaited construction project has begun in Cologne-Nippes: the bridge on the Outer Kanalstrasse is being rebuilt. This was demolished almost four and a half years ago, and the first excavators are now being used to clear the way for the new wooden bridge. Preparatory work began in August and both bridgeheads have now been uncovered. Nevertheless, drivers have to be prepared for some construction-related bottlenecks along Outer Canal Road. Access to Bürgerpark Nord from Escher Straße is also temporarily restricted as the new bridge connects the two halves of the park.

Construction is in full swing and the new bridge, which is being designed to be four meters wide - compared to three meters previously - is expected to be completed in around eight months. The costs for the entire project amount to around 3.1 million euros, including planning. The original plan was to have a width of six meters, but to take conservation concerns into account, the width was reduced to four meters. A special structural change is the decision to design the bridge in a two-span instead of four-span construction with a concrete support between the carriageways instead of the previous four-span structure.

Importance of the bridge for mobility

The bridge is not only an important connecting element for pedestrians and cyclists, but also part of the cycle path network plan in North Rhine-Westphalia. It represents an important bicycle commute route that is highly relevant for both residents and commuters. Given the current challenges in bridge infrastructure in Germany, such as the condition of many bridges that urgently need to be renovated or replaced, the new construction in Nippes is rated higher not only locally, but also in a regional context. Current forecasts indicate that around 10% of the 40,000 bridges on the highway network are in need of repair, underscoring the importance of such projects Ingenieur.de reported.

The council decided on the new building in December 2023, and the urgency of such construction projects is also reflected in the Convention of Building Culture 2024 where the challenges and solutions for bridge renovation projects are presented. The bridge on the Outer Canal Road is therefore a direct response to the need to create more safety and mobility.

Additional construction work and traffic restrictions

The construction site on Outer Kanalstrasse is accompanied by a short-term closure of the road and the Autobahn 57 exits in the direction of Bilderstöckchen. In addition, extensive renovation work on the roadway is underway at the junction of Escher Straße / Am Bilderstöckchen, which is independent of the new bridge construction. A diversion will be set up here via Alzeyer Straße, which will mean some changes for residents and drivers.

Overall, the current construction project on Outer Canal Street shows how important and necessary the renewal of the bridge infrastructure in Cologne is. The new challenges are forcing a rethink, not only in terms of construction methods, but also in terms of a sustainable and safe infrastructure that will also serve future generations.