Hölltobel Bridge St. Gerold
Company | PORR Bau GmbH . Civil Engineering Branch Tyrol . Area Oberland Nägele Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH |
Principal | Office of the provincial government of Vorarlberg |
Location | St. Gerold - Austria |
Type | Bridge construction |
Runtime | 01.2017 - 05.2018 |
Bridge project in an extreme location.
The Hölltobel Bridge has constituted an important traffic link to the Great Walser Valley since the 1960s. However, heavy traffic loads and the extreme weather conditions of the past decades have left their mark. The bridge was in such poor condition that rapid action was necessary, but the extent of the damage meant that rehabilitation was impossible. In January 2017, the provincial government of Vorarlberg therefore issued a call for tenders to build a new bridge.
This was the starting signal for one of the most spectacular construction projects in the history of Nägele Hoch- und Tiefbau Vorarlberg and the Tyrol branch of PORR Tiefbau. A new, dual-span reinforced concrete bridge was to traverse the "Hölltobel" (Hell's Ravine) alongside the existing bridge at a height of around 18 metres. Due to the extremely steep terrain and the lack of space on-site, extensive slope stabilisation measures and additional preparatory works had to be carried out. In September 2017, the centrepiece of the project was finally completed – concreting the supporting structure.
The new structure comprises 2,400m3 of concrete and 300 tonnes of structural steel. On 27 October 2017, the first vehicles passed safely and smoothly across the completed bridge, which boasts a span of 50 metres. The old bridge was demolished by spring 2018. The landscaping work has now been completed as well.