After supposed damage to a bridge in Langenfeld was discovered and checked, rail traffic on the route between Cologne and Düsseldorf, which had been interrupted in the meantime, has been reopened. Car traffic is also moving again.
Experts were on site to check possible damage. In order to better get past the overhead lines and under the bridge for a more detailed examination, a lifting platform was used in addition to an on-site riser, the spokeswoman said on Monday evening.
Drivers and train passengers affected
On Tuesday night, Straßen.NRW announced that after a comprehensive investigation by bridge inspectors, the bridge in Langenfeld was safe for traffic and showed no static damage. When the inspection of the underside of the bridge along the overhead lines was completed late on Monday evening, the route was reopened to train traffic around midnight. The bridge was initially closed to car traffic for hours, but was reopened to traffic on Monday evening after a thorough inspection.
In the morning rail traffic on Tuesday, the trains on the important route between Cologne and Düsseldorf were running normally again. “The trains are running regularly again,” says a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn.
Our reporter reported early on Monday evening from Langenfeld S-Bahn station that travelers had been waiting for replacement buses to Düsseldorf for more than an hour. “Nothing has been going on here for a long time and nothing is coming,” he said.
A new replacement for the bridge is being planned
According to Straßen.NRW, a new replacement building is already being planned for the bridge – probably for 2026 as part of the “NRW renovation offensive”.
