UK modular steel bridge maker Mabey Bridge has revealed details of nine bridges it supplied to restore roads destroyed by floods in Germany’s Ahr Valley in July last year.
More than 60 bridges collapsed in the floods, with many roads damaged or destroyed.
All the bridges were from Mabey’s “Compact 200” range, varying in length from 36m to 42m. They are serving as permanent or long-term temporary solutions for decades.
Four went to re-establish ruined crossings in the town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, two of which were ordered by the town council and two by Germany’s federal civil protection agency, Bundesanstalt Technisches Hilfswerk (THW).
They were ordered after the floods in early August 2021 and delivered a week later to be assembled by THW for opening in September. One carries vehicles and three were for pedestrians and cyclists.
Based on their success, five more orders were placed.
In mid-September 2021, THW ordered three vehicular bridges for the towns of Rech, Insul and Liers. Components were delivered to the sites three weeks later, installed by THW, and opened to traffic in November 2021.
Then in early January 2022, the town of Sinzig ordered two bridges for pedestrian and cyclist use. One of the two bridges has already been installed with the second installation planned for completion at the end of September this year.
Unegg GmbH, Mabey Bridge’s partner in Central Europe, provided on-site technical assistance to THW for each project.
“Mabey Bridge has a long history of providing solutions to aid in rebuilding infrastructure in the wake of natural disasters,” Mabey Bridge chief executive Michael Treacy commented in a press release.
