Ailing bridges on the Rhine: heavy -duty traffic in the crisis!

Ailing bridges on the Rhine: heavy -duty traffic in the crisis!

Neuss, Deutschland - The traffic situation between Düsseldorf and Neuss accepts dramatic proportions after the Josef Cardinal Frings Bridge has been closed to heavy goods traffic. From now on, trucks with a weight of over 7.5 tons are no longer allowed to use the bridge. This drastic measure mainly affects freight forwarders and has a significant impact on logistics between the two cities. Mike Heeb, a local freight forwarder, describes the situation as "devastating" and speaks of enormous detours and delays for inner -city transport routes.

The bridge, which is also known as the southern bridge, is considered a dilapidated and had already been drawn into the critical repair in August. A detour via the Fleher Brücke, which is also in need of renovation, will be required for traffic between the cities. Jürgen Steinmetz, General Manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Middle Lower Rhine, describes the situation as a "fiasco" for the economic location.

urgent need for action

The effects of the blocking are immediately noticeable. Drivers of heavy goods transporters now have to take a detour of 20 kilometers - before that it was only 8 kilometers. This accelerates the costs of fuel, personnel deployment and travel times. "We were able to accept fewer orders," explains Heeb, "and we can no longer hold the prices." Despite the promises of authorities, hope for quick solutions will be smaller from day to day.

The State Business of North Rhine-Westphalia (Street.NRW) is under pressure. Stephan Huth leads the construction department and explains that due to serious damage to the bridge bearings, the permissible speed had to be reduced to 30 kilometers per hour in order to avoid further deterioration. "The seal towards Düsseldorf should be ready by the end of the year before we continue with the opposite direction," said Huth.

The high road on the B7 was also addressed, which has only been driven by lighter trucks since March 2020. The Düsseldorf town hall has also completed a public participation in the future of the high road, which could possibly be replaced by a new tunnel construction. Consequences from these administrative decisions can be felt strongly in the logistical processing.

The IHK is concerned about the future development: "It remains to be seen how the situation is further worried," says Steinmetz. In fact, the traffic problems are not only limited to heavy goods traffic, and car drivers will also have to adjust to longer traffic jams. The bigger problem is that the Fleher bridge itself is not one of the most stable and additional loads could soon lead to another bottleneck.

Any relaxation of the situation is not in sight, especially not after the upcoming autumn holidays, which will certainly ensure more traffic. Huth explains that one strives to keep the impairments as low as possible, but some effects are inevitable.

The infrastructure has been in a desolate condition for years and requires rapid action. Steinmetz makes it clear: "We have to find pragmatic solutions to overcome this critical situation. The dilapidated infrastructure is a threat to mobility and economy in the region." A comprehensive crisis meeting of the IHK is planned to discuss immediate measures and to develop solutions together.

The developments around the bridges between Düsseldorf and Neuss impressively show how important a well -maintained transport infrastructure is for the economy. The loss of the functionality of the main traffic arteries could not only continue to burden the local economy, but also have an impact on the streams of goods in the entire region. For a detailed view of the current location and possible solutions, see the report on the report www.stadt-kurier.de.