The work on the bridge in the Au is progressing. The construction of the wooden bridge, carried out by Deutsche Bahn, is expected to be completed by early June at the latest. After that, the bridge will be transferred to the ownership of the city of St. Ingbert. The supports, which were originally also made of wood and located in the ground-contact area, had become decrepit over the years due to fungal infestation and have now been replaced by a steel structure.
"The bridge is used very intensively by the citizens; it is actually a permanent part of the St. Ingbert path network. The Pur mountain bike trail runs over it, and pedestrians and hikers use it regularly. Therefore, it was very important to me to work together with the local representatives to advance the project and to reach an agreement with the railway," emphasized Mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer during an on-site visit.
Roland Weber, head of the Rohrbach district, is relieved that the long closure of the bridge will soon be over and thanks the DB for the cooperation. For St. Ingbert's district head Irene Kaiser, the safety of the citizens is paramount: "I, too, feel a weight lifted off my shoulders when the chapter 'Au-Bridge closure' is finally concluded by mutual agreement. Then, no one will have the dangerous idea of crossing the tracks at the risk of their life anymore."
New construction of an aluminum bridge planned for 2026
Currently, the city administration is already awarding planning contracts in parallel for the demolition of the existing bridge and for the construction of a new one in an aluminum structure. The implementation of the measure is scheduled for the year 2026. This long lead time is due to the scope and duration of the intervention in ongoing railway operations, which is why Deutsche Bahn estimates lead times of up to four years here.
