Welcome to the Newsroom

Here you will find the latest stories from our construction sites, highlights from our team members, ad hoc announcements and press releases on everything that moves us.

Article
Images and videos (3)

A 45: Rinsdorf viaduct including piers and foundations moved

4 June 2025

STRABAG in charge of innovative transverse shift on newly built highway bridge
Technical highlight at the end of a double bridge construction project on the
A 45 near Siegen

Wilnsdorf. The new construction of the A 45 Rinsdorf viaduct in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district is making great progress. Today, the eastern section of the structure in the direction of Dortmund, including piers and foundations, was moved transversely into its final position - a first in Germany on this scale. The project team of the construction consortium led by STRABAG is responsible for the innovative transverse shift: It is the technical highlight of the approaching end of the renewal of the neighboring Rinsdorf and Rälsbach freeway bridges. State Secretary Dr. Claudia Elif Stutz and Dirk Brandenburger, Managing Director Technology of Autobahn GmbH, watched the bridge section being moved, as did members of the Bundestag and leading representatives of the construction companies involved as well as the district and municipality. After more than 20 hours, the structure reached its final position at shortly before 5 pm.

"The transverse shift of the Rinsdorf viaduct is a masterpiece of engineering and a visible sign that we are making good progress in the modernization of freeway bridges. Today we are also demonstrating what is technically possible in Germany when innovative planning and the capabilities of the construction industry come together. Together with Autobahn GmbH, we are ensuring that the federal highways are fit for the future. This creates confidence in the efficiency of the state and strengthens Germany as a business location."

Dr. Claudia Elif Stutz
State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transporttate Secretary

"We have broken new ground with the Rinsdorf viaduct. Because what is happening here is not only symbolic, but also technically extremely impressive. An ingenious system was developed so that the enormous load could be set in motion at all: 24 hydraulic jacks moved the bridge colossus into its final position. With this bridge, we are once again demonstrating that Autobahn GmbH is resolutely driving forward the modernization of bridges throughout Germany."

Dirk Brandenburger
Technical Managing Director of Autobahn GmbH

"Autobahn GmbH is prepared to test new procedures, carefully weigh up risks and develop sustainable solutions with scientific support. Renowned civil engineering experts were already involved in the planning phase. Their well-founded assessments formed the basis for the selection of the process. This shows how creatively and innovatively Autobahn GmbH is driving bridge modernization forward."

Elfriede Sauerwein-Braksiek
Director of the Westphalia branch, Autobahn GmbH

"I am delighted to be able to witness this construction highlight, which was implemented under the leadership of STRABAG, on site. The transverse displacement of one half of the bridge is unique in Germany in this dimension. But the dimensions alone are not enough - in order to successfully manage the renewal of the two A45 valley bridges Rinsdorf and Rälsbach, a perfect interplay of three important factors is required, which we are contributing here: A well-coordinated teamwork of all those involved, the high level of expertise in engineering and traffic route construction and the great innovative strength of our STRABAG teams."

Peter Hübner
Member of the Executive Board of STRABAG AG

The first section of the new Rinsdorf viaduct was built in a lateral position next to the existing, single-section original structure. After its demolition around three years ago, the second section was built in the same place. The first section, with a length of exactly 485.5 meters, has now moved around 20 meters at a snail's pace to the southwest to its final position. It moved about one meter per hour.

The bridge was moved with the help of 24 hydraulic jacks - four on each of the six piers. To enable the load, which weighed several tons, to be moved, Teflon plates, which act as sliding pads, were installed between the specially prepared shifting tracks and the foundation base over the past few weeks. In order to reduce frictional resistance to a minimum, the plates were pre-treated with special grease. The slabs were moved in a total of 15 sections. The colossus moved forward 1.40 meters per section.

Source: https://www.autobahn.de/aktuelles/news

A 45: Rinsdorf viaduct including piers and foundations moved

jpg ∙ 27 MB

Download Picture

A 45: Rinsdorf viaduct including piers and foundations moved

jpg ∙ 5 MB

Download Picture

To play this video, you must accept cookies from US providers. For details, please see Cookie Settings in our Privacy Policy. Consent to the setting of cookies from US providers can be given either here or under Cookie Settings in our Privacy Policy The revocation of consent already given can be done in the same way.

To revoke the consent granted for the setting of cookies from US providers, please click here. Alternatively, you can revoke your consent under Cookie Settings in our Privacy Policy.

Time-lapse video WF A45 transverse thrust TB Rinsdorf, source: Autobahn Westfalen

mp4 ∙ 79 MB

Download Video

Angela Emmerich Klemmer
Press spokeswoman, Germany

+49 221 824-4025

pr@strabag.com

STRABAG AG, Cologne
The success story of Cologne-based STRABAG AG began in 1923. Today the company is part of Austria’s STRABAG SE and operates in Germany as the parent company of Germany’s STRABAG Group companies. As German market leader in transport infrastructure, the company generates an annual output volume of nearly € 3.8 billion in this field of activity with around 14,000 employees. From digital design to the extraction and production of building materials, project construction, maintenance and servicing by the company’s own road maintenance services as well as demolition and reuse – STRABAG’s units cover the entire value chain in the construction of infrastructure facilities, taking a lifecycle-oriented approach to projects and consistently integrating innovation, digitalisation and sustainability into their processes. More information is available at www.strabag.de.