Maxbrücke in Schweinfurt: demolition or new building? The city is facing the choice!

Maxbrücke in Schweinfurt: demolition or new building? The city is facing the choice!

The Maxbrücke in Schweinfurt, one of the central traffic arteries over the Main, faces its inevitable fate: demolition and new building! She has been faithful to work since her opening in 1960, but now the bridge has arrived at the end of her lifetime. The discussions about the future of the Maxbrücke are heated, while the city administration and the citizens struggle for the best solution. A new building could protect the city center years ago, but the concerns are great!

The experts agree: the Maxbrücke is an "incurable patient". Christian Meckel, head of the civil engineering office, explains that the clamping concrete bridges in Germany, including the Maxbrücke, need to be replaced urgently. The inner steel structure has suffered greatly in winter through years of use and the use of a thousand salt. "The material fatigue cannot be prevented," said Meckel. The city therefore sees no way to continue using the bridge, even if heavy goods traffic is set. Time is pushing and the decision about the future of the bridge must be made soon!

The challenges of the new building

Another hotly discussed topic is the amount of the new building over the railway tracks. Johannes Petersen from the SPD asked whether Deutsche Bahn had already promised that the light height could remain the same during the new building. This question is crucial for planning, because without a written promise, the new building on the city center could fail. Meckel remains optimistic, even if there are no concrete plans yet. The conversations with the train are in progress, but the uncertainty remains.

The personnel situation in the civil engineering office also ensures worry lines. Building officer Ralf Brettin has enough positions, but the applications do not materialize. Fortunately, an experienced bridge builder has now registered, but the search for other specialists continues. The clock ticks, and the future of the Maxbrücke hangs in the hover!