Transport Minister Scheuer is pushing for new bridges in the Ahr Valley, which will allow more flooding to pass through.
When rebuilding the disaster area, climate change must also be considered.
The partially destroyed Ahr Valley Railway is to run again on a section by the end of the year.
Altenahr - Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) has called for the reconstruction of destroyed roads and tracks in the flood-damaged Ahr Valley, which takes climate change into account. What is needed is "a better and more resilient infrastructure" than before, he said on Thursday during a visit to the largely destroyed river valley. There is enough money for it - and the Ahr valley in the Eastern Eifel will also remain an important topic for the next federal government.
For example, new bridges would have to let more water through in the event of flash floods, for example with slimmer or fewer pillars, explained Scheuer in Altenahr in addition to destroyed river crossings. In view of climate change, experts predict more frequent floods after extremely heavy rain in low mountain ranges. Scheuer recalled that during the flood of the Ahr on July 14th and 15th, 133 fatalities, cars and campers wedged themselves on bridges and thus further dammed the river.
With a view to the reconstruction of the partially destroyed and so far not electrified Ahr Valley Railway, the minister said that the construction of overhead power lines was now being considered there.
That would also be a climate-friendly measure.
According to Gerd-Dietrich Bolte from DB Netz AG, the extent to which the more than 100-year-old tunnels on the line are high enough for overhead lines is being examined.
The construction of digital signal boxes is also planned in the river valley.
A section of the Ahr Valley Railway is to be put back into operation on a single track by the end of the year, if possible.
This is the aim between Remagen and Walporzheim, announced the regional rail passenger transport association Rhineland-Palatinate North (SPNV-Nord).
Walporzheim is a district of the spa town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler.
According to SPNV-Nord association director Thorsten Müller, no prognosis can yet be given for the remainder of the approximately 30-kilometer-long Ahr Valley Railway upstream from Walporzheim to Ahrbrück, as the destruction of the flash flood in July was so immense.
It washed pieces of track into the Ahr, tore railway bridges with it and washed away the track bed in many places.
In the long term, according to the association director, electrification of the once partly double-track branch line in the river valley would be desirable.
After the flood, a replacement bus service was partly set up here.
Stefan Gleißner from DB Netz AG said that several Ahr railway bridges were washed away during a flood 111 years ago.
also read
Expert: “Tornado cannot be predicted” - seven injured
According to the police in Kiel, a tornado is dragging along the promenade - people are washed into the water or hit by objects.
A meteorologist emphasizes: Such an event cannot be predicted.
Expert: “Tornado cannot be predicted” - seven injured
First wooden skyscraper in Allgäu completed: tenants move in
Seven floors in seven weeks: With the first wooden skyscraper in Allgäu, the housing company of the city of Kempten has built a prestige project.
Although this construction method is more expensive, the building is not intended to remain the only one of its kind in the region.
First wooden skyscraper in Allgäu completed: tenants move in
Police continue to investigate major power failure in Dresden
After the large-scale power failure in Dresden on Monday, the police are continuing to determine the exact cause.
It is still unclear whether the metal-coated balloon, which presumably caused the power failure, was controlled in a targeted manner or accidentally reached the neuralgic point of the Dresden Süd feed-in substation, said a police spokesman on Tuesday morning.
Police continue to investigate major power failure in Dresden
Meanwhile, the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) announced that the costs of rebuilding houses in the Ahr Valley may be higher than previously thought.
"New official requirements can make the reconstruction of buildings more expensive," said GDV general manager Jörg Asmussen the news portal t-online.
"Delivery difficulties for building materials and building services equipment drive up costs, and last but not least, building materials and craftsmen's services are considerably more expensive than usual due to the high demand," added Asmussen.
Apart from insurance, money is to flow primarily from the federal and state flood fund for the reconstruction.
dpa