German transport minister orders demolition of Bonn's A565 Rhine bridge after damage proves too severe

The Friedrich-Ebert Bridge, also called the Bonn North Bridge, carries the A565 motorway over the Rhine and serves as the most important east-west link for the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region. It had already been restricted since February, when a ban on trucks over 7.5 tonnes was imposed because of known dilapidation. On 3 June the motorway bridge was closed to all traffic without warning after new structural defects were discovered in the load-bearing structure of the left-bank foreland bridge.

Damage worse than feared

In the weeks following the closure, the Autobahn GmbH conducted detailed inspections. The findings were presented on 19 June after the second meeting of a steering group that includes federal, state and local officials. Minister Schnieder told reporters that the damage to the foreland bridge had deteriorated to such an extent that reopening it for truck or car traffic was no longer an option. The foreland bridge must be demolished and replaced by an entirely new structure.

“The damage on the left-bank foreland bridge has deteriorated to such an extent that reopening for truck or car traffic is no longer viable.”

The rest of the crossing, the section over the Rhine itself and the right-bank approach, does not require reconstruction, Schnieder said. A separate decision on whether the main bridge will be widened, a long-discussed option, will be taken later. The new foreland bridge will be built regardless of the future lane configuration of the main span.

Timeline and next steps

The minister stressed that speed is now the top priority. The tendering process will start immediately so that demolition can begin as early as July. Construction of the replacement foreland bridge is expected to take about two years, with a target of reopening the crossing by the end of 2028. Before the sudden June closure, the ageing bridge, which dates from the 1960s, had been scheduled for a full replacement no earlier than the 2030s.

Traffic chaos and economic impact

Since the sudden total closure, Bonn has experienced severe congestion. The ADAC described the situation as a "total catastrophe". Many drivers are diverting via Cologne, adding strain to an already stretched traffic system there. The regional chamber of industry and commerce (IHK Bonn/Rhein-Sieg) issued a blunt warning about the wider economic cost.

“The Rhine bridges are the lifelines of our region.”

Emergency measures in Bonn

The city of Bonn has adopted several immediate steps to relieve pressure on the road network. These include temporary free public transport, additional park-and-ride facilities, and changed lane allocations on some streets. The measures are designed to encourage a shift from cars to buses and trains while the bridge remains out of service.