The new Hard-Fußach Rhine Bridge was officially opened on 26.04.2024. Following the ground-breaking ceremony in autumn 2020 and the opening to traffic in November 2022, as well as the subsequent demolition of the existing bridge, construction of additional support structures and various road construction works, the completion of the entire project was celebrated in the presence of several guests of honor, including the Governor of Vorarlberg, Markus Wallner, and Provincial Councillor Marco Tittler.  The speakers emphasized the great importance of the bridge for traffic and flood protection and praised all those involved for their excellent cooperation while staying on schedule and within budget. At the end of the event, Bishop Eibs blessed the bridge and the moderator stated that “the statics work”.

In 2013, LAP, together with Schimetta Consult Ziviltechniker, Innsbruck, and the architects Dissing + Weitling, Copenhagen, were awarded the contract for the general planning of the new Rhine bridge to be built between Fußach and Hard by the state of Vorarlberg. Our team impressed in the competition with a technically advanced design of an extradosed bridge.

The 255 m long extradosed bridge combines the load-bearing behavior of prestressed concrete beam and cable-stayed bridges. The extradosed span above the roadway enabled an extremely slender and filigree superstructure design. The flat design of the tension members and low masts give it a unique appearance that is modern and elegant. As a result, the proportions of the span harmonize perfectly with the overall structure and blend in visually with the surrounding landscape. The planning and implementation of this project were challenging due to the complex environmental factors. The bridge had to be founded on soil with low load-bearing capacity in the riverbed. In addition, extreme flood scenarios had to be taken into account and the new bridge had to be designed for a 300-year flood event.

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Photos: Land Vorarlberg/A.Serra