For spectators, the bridge blast was a spectacle. The A45 viaduct near Eisern tilted today (March 26). The blast can be seen in the video here.
Update from March 26, 3:42 p.m: As announced by Autobahn Westfalen, the removal of around 14,500 tons of demolition material will begin as early as Monday (March 27). The materials of the A45 viaduct are to be separated and recycled. The work under the bridge near Eisern is therefore expected to continue until the end of May. Only then should Obersdorfer Strasse be opened to traffic again and preparations for the new building can begin.
Update from March 26, 2:24 p.m: After the partial structure of the Eisern viaduct was closed, the A45 was initially closed for several hours. The freeway has now been reopened to traffic. Drivers had previously been diverted via the L907, among other things.
Update March 26, 11:15 am: That’s it for the section of the A45 iron viaduct: 45 kilograms of explosives seal the end of the 50 meter high and 327 meter long bridge. As planned, the bridge toppled sideways, making the blast particularly spectacular. The freeway is scheduled to remain closed until 2 p.m.
Spectacular end for A45 viaduct: closure of the Autobahn for closure
[Ursprungsmeldung] Eisern – News from the A45: The partial structure of the Eisern viaduct is being blown up in the direction of Frankfurt. The motorway will be closed for this on Sunday, March 26th. The bridge blast is something special, because the valley bridge will not fall straight down, but will tip to the side.
Blasting of viaduct: blockage and video – part of the structure tilts to the side
Autobahn Westfalen informs that the area and the A45 will be closed for the bridge blast:
- Complete closure of Autobahn 45 from 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. between the Siegen and Wilnsdorf junctions
- Full closure of Wolfsbach (L562) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from the Leimbachstraße/Wolfsbach roundabout to Eiserntalstraße
The diversions are already signposted. Motorists heading towards Frankfurt will be directed to the diversion route via Eiserntalstraße and the L907 to Wilnsdorf. The diversion for the opposite direction leads from Wilnsdorf via the B54 to Siegen. The truck detour is signposted separately – for articulated lorries it goes via the L907.
A cordoned-off zone will be set up in a radius of 300 meters around the bridge. Those who want to see the blast at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 26, cannot do so in the security zone that has been set up. The Wolfsbach road is also closed to pedestrians from 10:15 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m.
The extraordinary bridge blasting of the Eisern viaduct can also be seen afterwards in a video from Autobahn Westfalen.
Motorway blast: Bridge of the A45 tilts sideways – high effort and closure
The effort involved in preparing the blast has been considerable so far: the team led by explosives expert Michael Schneider had to drill 525 holes in the motorway bridge, using 45 kilograms of explosives. The bridge’s fall bed consists of 1,600 truckloads of earth (about 15,000 cubic meters) – the bridge will fall onto this sideways after the blast.
At around 10:45 a.m. on the day of the bridge blast and A45 closure, a long fanfare will be heard to initiate the blast. This is followed at 10.55 a.m. by two short fanfare tones. At 10.59 a.m. – immediately before the blast – the deterrent blast scares away the birds in the area of the bridge.
For the The demolition of the A45 bridge near Lüdenscheid in May even became a public viewing furnished. This bridge closure will also further intensify the traffic chaos around the A45 – Altenaer Strasse will be completely closed for weeks.
