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New Sternbrücke: 3,700-ton bridge rolls through the heart of Hamburg
🇩🇪 Germany /Energy & Infrastructure

New Sternbrücke: 3,700-ton bridge rolls through the heart of Hamburg

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Hamburg is moving a 3,700-ton bridge, the new Sternbrücke, into its final position over the Max-Brauer-Allee.
  • The 108-meter-long bridge is being transported on self-propelled modular transporters with 1,088 wheels.
  • The project required extensive preparations, including felling 86 trees and altering nearby structures, to accommodate the massive transport, with rail traffic expected to resume by late August.

Hamburg is undertaking a complex engineering feat as it prepares to move the new 3,700-ton Sternbrücke into its final installation site. The 108-meter-long and 21-meter-wide structure is scheduled to be transported along Max-Brauer-Allee on Thursday, marking a critical phase in its construction.

The operation involves moving the massive bridge onto prepared supports, which will then be filled with concrete, a process planned for nighttime due to cooler temperatures. Following the bridge's placement, ballast, tracks, overhead lines, and signals will be installed. The Deutsche Bahn, responsible for the project, aims to resume rail traffic by the end of August.

The great challenge is the very tight construction site.

— Janna WidmaierWidmaier, the project leader for Deutsche Bahn, describes the difficulties of the bridge transport operation.

Preparations for the transport have been extensive. On Wednesday, the bridge was moved sideways approximately 50 meters onto Max-Brauer-Allee and was scheduled to be raised to its mounting height of six meters above street level by late Wednesday evening. The bridge is being moved on 48 Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), utilizing 1,088 steerable wheels for precise maneuvering. The street itself was elevated by about 60 centimeters and covered with steel plates to ensure load distribution and protect the surface.

Accommodating the bridge's passage required significant adjustments to the urban environment. Streetlights were removed, the canopy of a gas station was trimmed, and 86 trees were felled. Project leader Janna Widmaier highlighted the challenge of the "very tight construction site," noting that only about 80 centimeters of space remained between the bridge and buildings along Max-Brauer-Allee during daylight transport. The Sternbrücke is a vital component of Hamburg's rail network, carrying approximately 900 regional, long-distance, and S-Bahn trains daily before its closure. The original structure had reached the end of its operational life after about 100 years.

The transport in daylight has its advantages.

— Janna WidmaierWidmaier comments on the benefits of moving the bridge during the day, despite the tight space.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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