The landmark Flehe Bridge in Germany is to be replaced. Spanning the Rhine River, the bridge carries the A46 Autobahn close to Düsseldorf, linking with the A57 and opened to traffic in the 1979. The existing cable-stayed bridge features three lanes in either direction as well as having emergency lanes and is notable for its central pillar, 146.5m in height. The 1.17km bridge also provides sufficient clearance for vessels using the river to pass underneath.
A new bridge is required however as the existing structure is carrying higher loads as truck sizes have more than doubled from the 20tonnes seen in the 1970s and the link carries more traffic than it was designed for and is showing signs of age and wear. The steel used in the existing bridge cannot be replaced, so the bridge has to be.
The bridge replacement project is being managed by the client Autobahn GmbH, the state-owned firm running Germany’s Autobahn network. The new structure is being built by a joint venture partnership that includes SSF Ingeneure and the work includes replacing the bridge as well as upgrading the A46 over a 3,8km stretch. The alignment for the new bridge was selected by Autobahn GmbH in March 2026, with site investigation and preparatory work now being carried out.
