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A1: Full closure on the weekend! Demolition of the bridge between Vechta and Cloppenburg
At the weekend, from November 7th to 10th, the A1 between Vechta and Cloppenburg will be closed due to bridge renovations.
A1: Full closure on the weekend! Demolition of the bridge between Vechta and Cloppenburg
Next weekend it will be really tight on the A1 between Vechta and Cloppenburg. Due to extensive construction work, the motorway will be completely closed from 8pm on Friday 7th November until 5am on Monday 10th November. This measure is necessary because four bridges have to be demolished over a seven-kilometer section. These bridges date from the 1960s and are no longer able to handle today's traffic loads, as NDR reports.
The demolition of the bridges is underway using around 60 employees and 16 excavators. To avoid damage to the road surface, so-called “fall beds” made of sand are used, which are piled up on the road. After the demolition, around 6,500 tons of broken concrete and around 270 truckloads will be transported away. In the following months, new bridges are planned to be built at the existing locations so that the motorway can soon be more accessible again.
Detours and future work
Road users should also pay attention to the signposted diversions: In the direction of Bremen, the diversion is from Vechta via the U13, while the diversion in the direction of Dortmund is from Cloppenburg via the U52. In addition, another full closure is planned for spring 2026 in order to install new bridge parts that will contribute to a smoother traffic flow.
The federal highway company is considering comprehensive renovations of bridges across the entire highway network by 2025. However, the exact financing of these projects is still unclear, which is likely to be important for future construction projects.
Although the closure and construction work seem annoying at first glance, one could also say that this shows a good hand in terms of long-term road safety and infrastructure. After all, it is better to invest now and benefit from a stable and modern bridge later than to have to wait for the next big construction site. So it remains to be seen how the traffic situation will develop in the next few months.