Flood in Vienna: U2 construction site hard hit-construction is delayed

Flood in Vienna: U2 construction site hard hit-construction is delayed

The latest water increase in Vienna has serious consequences for the Viennese lines. The U2 construction site on Pilgramgasse is particularly affected, where massive damage to construction equipment and the infrastructure have occurred. These impairments not only caused a lot of financial damage that adds up in the millions, but also throw a shadow on the schedule of the U2 extension.

After over two weeks full of clean -up work, the Viennese lines have now drawn a first damage balance. This shows that enormous water entry has caused remarkable destruction. Numerous special machines and vehicles that were intended for the construction work in the shaft on the right Vienna line are completely destroyed. The river sole of the Vienna River was also affected by the huge masses of water.

financial and temporal effects

The Viennese lines are currently in the process of assessing the full extent of the financial and temporal damage. A spokeswoman for the company said that one could already expect that the progress of the U2 extension will be delayed significantly. So far, around 19,000 cubic meters of water have already penetrated into the construction pit, which leads to significant challenges. Almost over a week, it was necessary to pump water and mud from the shaft. The specialized construction vehicles and machines that stood in the construction pit are no longer operational.

The situation continued to worsen on Wednesday, two weeks after the flood, the last large machines, including drilling wagons and tunnel excavators, had to be broken down. These were raised from the excavation pit through crane work. However, in order to restore the construction progress, the Viennese lines are in discussions with the construction companies involved in order to organize replacement for the damaged machines as soon as possible.

inadequate flood protection

The flood, which is considered the "1000-year flood" on the Vienna River, has caused far-reaching damage that not only affected the construction site itself, but also the river sole. An intact river sole is of great importance for the progress of the tunnel construction work. The Viennese lines work together with the MA45 Viennese waters and the construction partners to make the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Although comprehensive protective measures were taken in advance, including setting up dam beams and accumulating sand bags, this was not enough to prevent water ingress. The flood protection walls on the Vienna River could not stop the flood completely, so that the water in the U2 construction site was up to ten meters high on September 15th.

For financial planning and schedule, this situation is a serious challenge. It remains to be seen how quickly the necessary measures can be implemented and construction can be continued. The Viennese lines are in close contact with the responsible bodies to ensure that future flood events can be better managed.

Further details are in a detailed report to read.