Completion of the Danube Valley Bridge in Linz: A new traffic route with foresight

Completion of the Danube Valley Bridge in Linz: A new traffic route with foresight

After a long construction period of five and a half years, the new Danube Valley Bridge was inaugurated in Linz. This important building, which represents the fourth river crossing of the city, was built as part of the extensive Westring A26 project. It is an impressive suspension bridge that does not require a load -bearing pillar and is therefore considered unique worldwide.

The celebrations came with a spectacular light and sound show, which delighted both locals and guests. The focus of the staging was an almost ten -meter -tall, animated giant who wants to travel through the Danube to find friends. This work of art symbolizes the cooperation between different elements - air, water and earth - that are necessary to complete the bridge and connect the city to the Mühlviertel.

important facts about the Danube Valley Bridge

The bridge extends over 300 meters and has a tunnel system of a total of 3.2 kilometers for the ascent and descents. The construction costs have risen to 305 million euros, with ASFINAG 85%, the state of Upper Austria 10% and the city of Linz bears 5% of the costs. In the first time the traffic is released, however, only one trace can be used per direction, since the bridge is also required for construction work and machines.

ASFINAG emphasizes the importance of this project, which is to be completed in three stages by 2035. The aim is to reduce traffic in the city by eight percent, especially through the underground course of a large part of the city highway. There was less resistance against this first construction phase, although some critics question the size of the bridge. They argue that the Danube Valley Bridge can help relieve traffic on other bridges such as the Nibelungen Bridge.

The planning and the construction of the A26 are accompanied by violent discussions and protests. An alliance of 23 citizens' initiatives has recently tried to stop the further construction work through a referendum. They argue that an increase of 30,000 additional car trips per day could have a negative impact on the climate, while Linz would be necessary for a decline of 150,000 trips a day to reach the climate goals by 2030.

The costs for the highway have increased. Originally, the project was to be made cheaper, but the budget for the shortened version has now doubled to around 1.2 billion euros. The planning experience shows that objections have repeatedly delayed the process since the early groundbreaking ceremony in 2015, whereby the construction was only completed in 2019.

Despite all these challenges, the opening ceremony of the Danube Valley Bridge took place, in which around 2,500 citizens, among other things, had the opportunity to admire the new building in its entire splendor. ASFINAG organized the festival to celebrate this milestone and aimed at involving the citizens on the ceremonial occasion.

The discussion about the A26 and its effects on the city will have to be continued, since the Linz junction remains a central topic in the area of transport and urban development. The next steps in this extensive project seem to have challenges that require further citizen participation and discussions.

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