NRW accuses the federal government of delays in the construction of the Rahmede Bridge

Created: 2022-08-11Updated: 2022-08-11, 11:08 am

A sign indicates a construction site.

© Jan Woitas/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa/Symbolbild

The dilapidated A45 viaduct Rahmede near Lüdenscheid has been completely closed since the beginning of December.

Also because of the diversion traffic for thousands of trucks, many people in Lüdenscheid complain about heavy loads.

Now the NRW state government is putting pressure on the federal government.

Düsseldorf – The North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Transport has accused the federal government of delays in the construction of the closed Rahmede A45 motorway bridge on the busy Sauerland line.

Before a top-level meeting with Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) on Thursday at the bridge, which has been closed for eight months, the Ministry of Transport, led by Green politician Oliver Krischer, called for a binding timetable for the new construction of the bridge near Lüdenscheid, as well as an acceleration concept and faster decisions.

Wissing wanted to get an idea of ​​the construction site on Thursday and take part in a public and business talk.

"It is not apparent that the "Rahmede Talbrücke" project is being vigorously pursued as a "special case" by the Federal Ministry of Transport," says a seven-point paper that is available to the German Press Agency.

Among other things, NRW calls for a central staff office for the replacement construction within the federal Autobahn GmbH, which should be equipped with special competencies.

WDR first reported on the paper.

The closed dilapidated valley bridge has been causing congested alternative routes and displeasure among residents and commuters for eight months.

The bridge on the A45 - the most important connection between the Ruhr area and Frankfurt am Main - is to be blown up in December and then rebuilt.

The Autobahn GmbH des Bundes has so far assumed that the new construction will take about five years.

According to the headline, the critical paper from the Düsseldorf Ministry of Transport contains "Suggestions for the top-level discussion".

Among other things, NRW is demanding relief measures so that long-distance and heavy traffic bypasses Lüdenscheid over a wide area.

For example, as an incentive for the detour and the associated longer distance, the distance-dependent truck toll could be suspended for the additional distance.

The truck share on the detour through Lüdenscheid has increased almost tenfold, it is said.

According to current information from the city, 5,200 to 6,200 trucks are counted per day, before the closure it was around 600.

The ministry also called for the ban on trucks driving through to be tightened.

Considerable construction site traffic is expected for the blasting of the Rahmede Viaduct and the new building.

This should not be done via the subordinate road network, Autobahn GmbH would rather have to handle it using construction roads without additional burdens on the region.

The region was severely affected not only by the blocking of the A45, but also by the flood.

The Volme Bridge in nearby Bruges is closed until further notice due to serious damage.

Two regional trains run over them.

The NRW Ministry of Transport called for "greater effort" from Deutsche Bahn DB AG for the renovation work.

dpa