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The city of Darmstadt welcomes the earlier railway closure
The city of Darmstadt, a center of science, is providing an update on the Rheinstraße bridge project outside of its regular quarterly reports. This is due to new commitments from the Federal Ministry of Transport regarding potential track closures.
Mobility officer Paul Georg Wandrey welcomes the federal government's decision to allow a three-week closure in December 2027. This will permit the earlier demolition of the existing bridge. Originally, the dismantling was not scheduled until 2028.
“The planned work on the overhead line in March and April 2027, and especially the now-proposed three-week timeframe in December 2027, represent a significant improvement compared to previous statements. This is an important signal for our project and for the reliability of the coordination between the city, the railway, and the federal government,” said Wandrey.
The city intends to use this window of opportunity to schedule the demolition of the existing bridge during the planned closure. According to the administration, the necessary coordination, including the Annex VII procedure, is proceeding at full speed.
New construction preferably from 2028
The railway company is currently planning closures for the new bridge construction in 2029. However, City Councillor Wandrey continues to advocate for a two-week closure at the end of 2028 to allow construction to begin. The city believes this timeframe would enable a seamless transition from demolition to construction of the new bridge and shorten the duration of the rail replacement bus service.
“A postponement to the corridor renovation period of 2030 is explicitly not an option for the city of Darmstadt. After years of intensive planning and coordination, we now need reliability in implementation,” Wandrey emphasizes.
Should a construction start in 2028 not be feasible, the city demands a binding commitment for the registered closure in 2029.
Further information about the project can be found on the city's website under " New construction of the Rheinstraße bridge ".
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/dk)
