Switzerland puts into regular operation first mobile bridge on motorway
A new innovative solution, the ASTRA Bridge, has been operating on the A1 motorway in Switzerland. It provides temporary and mobile bypass during the maintenance works and does not require the construction of additional structures. Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office is planning to deploy the solution on other road projects in the country.
For more than two weeks, the ASTRA Bridge, a new innovative solution for road maintenance, has been functioning on the A1 motorway in Switzerland. It was installed close to the municipality of Derendingen, the canton of Solothurn, to be more precise near the Luterbach junction in the direction of Bern. To mantle the mobile bridge, the workers need two nights, between 9 and 10 as well as 10 and 11 April. It is the first regular use of the innovation on the Swiss road network. The road surface under the bridge will be replaced by mid-July 2022.
Technical features
The ASTRA Bridge provides two-lane traffic at a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour if conditions permit. Despite its total length of 236 metres, the maintenance works can be carried out only at a 100-metre-long section under the bridge. Once the work under the bridge is complete, it moves remotely 100 meters further for the next construction phase. Federal Roads Office of Switzerland (FEDRO) is regarding the ASTRA Bridge as a reliable solution for road maintenance without removing lanes. “The ASTRA Bridge not only ensures a high traffic capacity. The physical separation of the construction site and the motorway also increases occupational safety for the construction workers,” the governmental body stated.
Read more about the ASTRA mobile bridge:
Switzerland to revolutionise road maintenance with mobile bridges