Theodor Heuss Bridge (Mainz-Wiesbaden)

50.0066666666678.2769444444444Koordinaten: 50 ° 0 ' 24 " N, 8 ° 16' 37" E

Federal Highway 40

Rhine

Blending contemporary Theodor Heuss Bridge over the Rhine to the district Mainz -Kastel, the Hessian capital Wiesbaden with the Rhineland-Palatinate state capital Mainz.

Specifications

The bridge consists of five two-joint truss arches ( lengths of the arcs: 87.13 m - 98.96 m - 102.94 m - 98.96 m - 87.13 m). This tension between the two bridgeheads on the four pillars of sandstone.

Construction, expansion and renovation of today's Rhine Bridge

Before the construction contract was awarded, a competition was held, which the later won involved in construction with the working title Pons Palatinus.

The Rhine bridge was built by the architect Friedrich von Thiersch and Bernhard Bilfinger in the years 1882-1885 through the project community Philipp Holzmann / Gebrüder Benckiser. On May 30, 1885, a grand opening was held by 11 clock to who invited the Grand Ducal Ministry of Finance to Darmstadt. The construction costs were 3.6 million gold marks and should within three years by the raised bridge tolls ( pedestrian: free 4 Pfennig, passenger Pferdebahnstraße: 5 Pfennig, pig, goat: 1 penny, students) to be refinanced. Definitively the bridge money, however, was abolished only in 1912 ( after 27 years ).

1931-1934 was extended ( inter alia, broadening of 13.80 m to 18.80 m) by MAN. In this case, the " Oktroihäuschen " in which the bridge money had been collected until 1912, as well as the light pylons were removed. On March 17, 1945, shortly before the American troops reached the city in the Second World War, the bridge was blown up by the retreating German troops. The Americans set up after taking the city a pontoon bridge. These consisted of March 29, 1945 to April 14, 1945 and served the advance of the American army. As a replacement for the destroyed road bridge served from 1946 to 1950 the Alexander M. Patch Bridge in extension the Imperial Road.

The rebuilding of the road bridge was made by MAN, works of Gustav castle in the years 1948-1950. On 15 May 1950, the bridge was taken in the presence of the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Theodor Heuss, in operation, whose name it bears today.

Between 1992 and 1995 the entire building was extensively renovated in all parts. This time, the following companies were involved: Steel construction Lavis, Thyssen Engineering GmbH ( work Klönne, Dortmund) and Voest- Alpine MCE from Linz. Besides the necessary technical and functional innovations and the needs of the monuments were in this general renovation taken into account and tries to maintain or restore the original character of the bridge. A new chain railing that separated and pedestrian paths, was after an accident in which a cyclist was killed, removed again. The remediation costs amounted to 139.5 million marks, according to today's purchasing power approximately 94.1 million euros.

Although over the bridge the highway 40 runs, it is a city bridge that needs to be entertained by the two cities. For this reason, both cities have signed a contract with the Wiesbaden Department of Roads and Transportation for the management. The resulting maintenance costs are borne to 62.8 % from 37.2% to Wiesbaden and Mainz, as the bridge is one of two thirds to Wiesbaden and one-third to Mainz. The bridge is checked in accordance with DIN 1076.

The highest point of the road surface is located at 100.25 meters above sea level, making it the Gutenberg Marathon is the highest elevation, which must be overcome.

Traffic management

The Theodor Heuss Bridge, the only direct road bridge connection between the two state capitals that is not part of a highway. It has a minimum four lanes and has wide combined pedestrian and bicycle paths on both sides. For heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes it is, with some exceptions, however, closed since the 1990s, so that the bridge is now used mainly by cars and buses, and in local public transport.

The buildings on the Mainz side is the reason that the traffic routing uncommon fails here. A solution how to Bernkasteler side where a large-scale high centrifugal regulates the arriving and departing traffic of the bridge, on the left bank of the Rhine not possible, since the building of the Rhineland-Palatinate state government are too close to the river. In the direction Mainz thereby giving the impression to go directly into the building.

The descent from the bridge leading to the north-west direction Neustadt, south-east towards Old Town and Weisenau the vehicles must perform a 180 ° turn after departure. The traffic from Mainz is directed from the southeast to the bridge, while vehicles from the northwest must first go past the bridge and then after a 180 ° turn onto the bridge. Coming from the south-east of the Rhine road the lane leads right under the bridge straight through, onto the ramp to the bridge in the left lane must be chosen.

On the Bernkasteler page three feeder roads are connected, so that here the " high centrifugal " a powerful connection was created on 7 July 1960 at the same time also crosses the railway line running there.

Until the 1950s the trams of Mainz and Wiesbaden transport companies still crossed the bridge. It took five lines in 15 -minute intervals, so that each direction every three minutes held a ride on average. These were the lines:

2 University -Kastel Bahnhof
6 Mainz -Wiesbaden Hbf (old ) Main Post Office (now Rhein- Main-Hallen )
7 Mombach fare home place
8 Bretz Home Kostheim settlement
9 Mainz Hbf - Schierstein

In addition to the Theodor Heuss Bridge are in the area of Mainz -Wiesbaden nor the two highway bridges the A 60 ( Auer way bridge ) and the A 643 ( Schiersteiner bridge ) as well as for railway transport, the Kaiser bridge and the south bridge. In addition to the Theodor -Heuss-Brücke only Schiersteiner and the Kaiser bridge Wiesbaden and Mainz connect directly, while the way Auer bridge and the south bridge begin or end on the Hessian side south of the Main in the area of community Ginsheim. The next Rhine bridges are the Rhine near Worms and down the Rhine at Koblenz.

Historical predecessor

Roman bridges

Main article: Roman Bridge (Mainz)

The Romans had built with the Castellum on the right side of the Rhine a beachhead. First, a pontoon bridge was made in the early years of the offensive. Around the year 27 after Christ sparked a fixed bridge from these precursors. This consisted of at least 21 stone pillars 18 meters long and 7 meters wide and had a 12 -meter wide multi-lane roadway.

The remains of this Roman bridge over the Rhine, which stood above the present Theodor Heuss Bridge are testament to the high engineering skill of the Romans. Their pillars were composed of large stone blocks. These were driven into the river bottom on oak piles, which were reinforced with iron pole shoes.

An idea of the first permanent bridge across the Rhine at present provides only a bronze relief on the Theodor Heuss Bridge, about 100 meters upstream from the actual location.

Medieval wooden bridge

Main article: Carolingian Rhine bridge Mainz

Around the year 813 Charlemagne was built again a firm bridge between Mainz and Kastel. But this burnt down, the sources are not quite sure whether this was done shortly after the opening or during the night before the opening.

Modern Times

Until the establishment of the Theodor Heuss Bridge since 1661 there was a pontoon bridge across the Rhine. The increasing ship traffic on the Rhine required the replacement of such construction, which led to the construction of the bridge.

Gallery

Illuminated bridge

View from the lower bridge head in Kastel.

Panel, which is reminiscent of the construction and renovation of the bridge.

Temporary installations

From 22 to 23 April 2006, the illumination of the Theodor Heuss Bridge took place in the context of Luminal. Here, at the bottom of the bridge differently colored lamps were installed, which made the bridge structure appear in a different light.

Building implosion

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