Nibelungen Bridge (Regensburg)

The Nibelungen bridge consists of two road bridges that span 2378.39 two arms of the Danube in Regensburg at river kilometer. The current building was built between 2001 and 2004, since the old bridge, which was built in 1935-1938, for the increased traffic volume was no longer sufficient. It is with an average of 42,000 vehicles per day, one of the main bridges across the Danube in Regensburg region.

Prehistory

The planning of a wider Danube crossing next to the time the only bridge over the Danube in Regensburg, the Stone Bridge, dates back to the late 19th century. At that time, the stone bridge was already overloaded by the former volume of traffic ( intra- urban and inter-regional traffic between two imperial roads ), the city hesitated for unknown reasons, however, to find a solution. Meanwhile, several smaller bridges, such as the Iron Bridge in 1901 or the Iron bridge (the latter only as a pedestrian bridge ) built in 1863, between the south bank of the Danube and the Woehrden, but no continuous route with two bridges. This changed in 1926, when a pontoon bridge between Weichs and the Lower Wöhrd (equivalent to today's North Bridge of the Nibelungen Bridge ) was built. This could only moderately ease the traffic situation, as heavy carts and motor vehicles were not allowed to pass through the bridge and had to continue to use the Stone Bridge.

Then finally in 1930, plans to build a powerful new Danube crossing. There were three options:

1933 were the new plans in a concrete stage, the architect Roderich Fick was appointed on the proposal of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior as artistic advisor for the design of the bridge views, the constructive processing of the steel bridge was carried out by the engineering firm Gerhard and Zenns from Munich. 1934 was conducted in the spring of a traffic count on the Stone Bridge, on a Saturday in the 40,000 pedestrians, 14,500 cyclists, 5,500 vehicles " all kinds" and 278 tramcars were counted. Therefore, the administration opted for the solution of the eastern bypass of the old town, planned at the same time the current " Franken bridge" over the rain and led the two bridges in the city's budget. In the summer, the cost of both bridges were estimated at just under 5.05 million Reichsmarks, which subsequently led to a dispute between the city, the state of Bavaria and the Reichswehr, the latter also showed a strong interest in the Danube bridge. In the summer of 1935, the dispute was settled, the costs were divided between the kingdom, the city, the state of Bavaria and the Reichswehr, the same year the construction management started its business activity.

Bridge from 1938

On 21 December 1935, the first sod for the new bridge through the Bavarian Interior Minister, Adolf Wagner was dedicated " to the glory of the city, the glory of the Bavarian Ostmark and the glory of Nazi Germany. " Then got the bridge the name of Adolf Hitler bridge, the national eagle, which should be set up as a bridge monument was placed at the Munich sculptor Albert Allman in order. Work began first on the north bridge, between the Lower and Wöhrd Weichs, in the summer of 1936, followed by the south bridge between the White Castle Road and the Lower Wöhrd. 1937 was the North Bridge will open to traffic, right after opening to traffic followed the restoration of the Stone Bridge. On June 18, 1938, the southern bridge and the Franks bridge was finally put into operation at the same time, on July 16 In 1938, the bridge baptism by Interior Minister Wagner instead. Several thousand Regensburger cheered this event and the ignited the same evening fireworks.

In the evening, April 23, 1945 blew Wehrmacht units in view of the approaching Allies the bridge (which was extensively destroyed) and some other bridges across the Danube.

Bridge from 1950

Directly after the war began the evacuation and establishment of a ferry between Weichs and the Lower Wöhrd to maintain circulation; later took over a pontoon bridge this task. 1950 could be passed as Nibelungen Bridge to traffic the newly built building, the national eagle was erected as a memorial bridge. 1964 broadened the city's first lane of two to four lanes, at the expense of walking and biking trails. This proved to be slow in 1997 as problematic, since this year the Stone Bridge for private transport was inhibited and thus almost 50,000 vehicles had to use the Nibelungen Bridge daily. Increasing damage to the steel structure ensured that heavy transports had to steer clear of the bridge. They decided against a reorganization / gain and for a new building. This was started in 2001.

Construction of the Nibelungen Bridge (2001-2004)

On 3 March 2001, the foundation stone for the new Nibelungenbrücke by the former officials, the Regensburg Mayor Hans Schaidinger and the Bavarian Interior Minister Stein was. As a new bridge construction had been planned, each with a superstructure for each carriageway. First, the transverse displacement of the old bridge was carried out, as these had to remain passable to traffic. In July, the bridge eagle was spent for the restoration of the depot, his whereabouts and further use has since been clarified. By August, the traffic remained without further deterioration, but had to bridge this month because of the planned Querverschubs to 8 meters in an easterly direction will be suspended for four weeks. These took place in the run-up to the extension of the bridge piers by 10 meters and the installation of the required for shunting slide rails. A special feature was that all buses had to be diverted only to the Verschubtagen about other bridges, otherwise the buses could continue to use the north arm of the bridge. On 30 August 2001, the bridge was reopened after the transverse displacement at full length.

In August 2001, construction began on the new western half of the bridge, which was completed on 9 November 2002. After that, the traffic line followed on the new partial bridge, the old bridge was immediately demolished or blown up. After the evacuation of the last remnants of the construction of the new eastern span of the bridge, which was completed in April 2004 began. The remaining work consisted after the complete opening to traffic is to place the final traffic markings as well as to build on the west side of the foot and cycle paths, which were not built for reasons of space during construction. Thus, in mid-June 2004, construction was completed.

Nibelungen Bridge (since 2004)

The Nibelungen bridge carries six lanes of 2004 over the Danube, two of these lanes are reserved for the promotion of public transport exclusively for buses and taxis. The bridge is now part of the national highway 8 and connects two branches of the federal highway 15 It is, in addition to the Pfaffensteiner Bridge and the Schwabelweiser Bridge, one of three bridges over the Danube, which can be navigated without restrictions. The bridge also plays in planning a streetcar in Regensburg an important role, as they are part of the so-called service axis represents. In the further course of the traffic improvement in the town of Norden, the Weißenburgstraße was, before the construction of the Nibelungen Bridge, expanded and provided with bus lanes, also was the Nordgaustraße - also extended to Isarstraße from four to six lanes - as a direct northern continuation of the bridge. Furthermore, the four-lane expansion is planned to Amberger road and the construction of the bridge Sallerner rain thereafter, however, is unlikely to be a short-term implementation of this measure here.

Construction

The structure consists of two bridges of the same type of construction via one arm of the Danube with the intervening Danube Island Wöhrd. The southern bridge has a total span of 168.9 meters and still spans a port track, the northern one is 206.90 meters long. Both bridges have a continuous beam with three fields as a building system in the longitudinal direction and a main span of 90 meters. In the south bridge the two marginal fields span each 39.45 meters wide, in the North Bridge is 58.45 meters. In the transverse direction, two each 15.4 meters wide and 3.2 meters are consistently high superstructures with a single-cell box girder in composite construction and cantilevered reinforced concrete deck slab, which is braced diagonally, available.

Curiosities

The bridge had to have curiosities. So in the old Nibelungenbrücke a fish market hall was built, which does not seem to exist, however, very long time. In the present bridge is located behind the southern abutment a neighborhood garage for about 70 cars at the Bruderwöhrdstraße. On the Lower Wöhrd there was also, next to the bridge, 1964-2001, the ice rink at the Nibelungen Bridge, which was demolished in the course of construction.