On July 8, the installed monitoring system triggered another alarm and detected additional breaks in the tension cables. As a result, the bridge’s load-bearing capacity for motor vehicle traffic can no longer be adequately guaranteed.
The affected section of the bridge over the hydroelectric power plant is managed by the Neckar Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA). Following the damage report, the WSA, the Ludwigsburg District Office, and the Stuttgart Regional Council coordinated their response at short notice. Together, they decided to close the bridge to all motor vehicle traffic for safety reasons. The affected municipalities have already been informed.
The bridge had already been closed to vehicles weighing more than 3.5 metric tons since February 2026. Until now, only buses were still permitted to use it. Due to the current damage, a closure for all motor vehicles is now necessary.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Traffic Still Permitted
Pedestrians and cyclists can continue to use the bridge.
For motor vehicle traffic, the existing detour via the L 1115 and the B 27 remains in effect.
Bus service severely affected
The closure is having a significant impact on bus service.
In particular, students from Gemmrigheim, Ottmarsheim, Hessigheim, and Mundelsheim who attend schools in Besigheim should expect significant delays. Delays may also occur on other trips operated by the affected bus routes.
School buses (A lines) will be rerouted from Neusatz via Kirchheim. Alternatively, students can get off at the Neusatz stop and walk the rest of the way across the bridge.
Routes 459, 568, and 574 are also affected by the closure. Schedules and service plans will need to be adjusted on short notice. All parties involved are currently working on an emergency plan for bus service. Further information will follow shortly from the District Office.
Passengers are asked to check with the VVS for the latest service status and schedules before traveling.
Further Investigations
The Waterways and Shipping Authority has commissioned further investigations of the bridge. To do this, the affected section of the bridge near the power plant must be opened. This will not result in any restrictions for pedestrians or cyclists.
Initial results are expected in early September. Subsequently, an assessment will be made as to whether—and, if so, under what conditions—the bridge could at least be reopened to car traffic.
The goal of all parties involved is to restore car traffic by the time construction of the new bridge is scheduled to begin—expected in 2030—provided that the bridge’s load-bearing capacity, as determined by the inspection, permits this in the interest of traffic safety.
Background
The weir and canal bridge, also known as the Neckar Bridge, dates back to the 1950s. The bridge consists of three sections. The section above the hydroelectric power plant is managed by the Neckar Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA).
More than 13,000 vehicles use the bridge daily, about 4.2 percent of which are trucks.
As a prestressed concrete bridge, it is susceptible to so-called stress-corrosion cracking. Of the approximately 7,300 bridges on federal and state roads in Baden-Württemberg, 73 structures are currently known to be at risk.
The Stuttgart Regional Council is already planning the construction of a new bridge and is moving forward with the planning process.
