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Koblenz celebrates 50 years of the South Bridge: A look at the building history!
Find out everything about the Koblenz South Bridge: history, construction, opening and effects on traffic in Koblenz.
Koblenz celebrates 50 years of the South Bridge: A look at the building history!
On June 20, 2025 the South bridge in Koblenz a remarkable anniversary: it was put into operation 50 years ago. Hansjörg Schütz from Koblenz, now 67 years old, remembers this day exactly. He rode his bike from Karthause to the bridge, not to school, but to marvel at the new landmark of his city.
The South Bridge is not just any road bridge, but an essential connection between the districts of Oberwerth and Horchheim. It runs over the Rhine and plays a central role for traffic in the region. This traffic axis connects the federal highways B 327, B 9, and B 49 with the B 42. The bridge is located at Rhine kilometer 588 and is the first of its kind on the Middle Rhine, which was built below the Schiersteiner Bridge (A 643), like the one Wikipedia holds on.
An ambitious construction project
The construction of the south bridge was part of the ambitious “Südtangente Koblenz” project, which ultimately covers a total length of 12 kilometers. The construction of the bridge itself lasted from October 1969 to June 1975 and cost an impressive 104 million DM, which is equivalent to around 166.4 million euros today. After all, the Federal Republic of Germany took over the costly investment. The bridge is an impressive 442 meters long and has a longest span of 236 meters. Its six lanes are 29 meters wide and enable smooth traffic.
Unfortunately, the history of bridge building is also marked by tragedy. During the work there were two serious accidents that put a significant strain on the project: On November 10, 1971, part of the bridge collapsed, claiming 13 lives, while another accident on September 21, 1972 resulted in six deaths. These incidents led to extensive reinforcement measures that ultimately enabled the project to be successfully completed.
From the south bridge to the Koblenz–Waldshut Rhine bridge
It is not far from Koblenz Koblenz–Waldshut Rhine bridge, which, despite its different dimensions, also fulfills an important function. It connects Koblenz with Waldshut in Switzerland and serves as a road bridge over the High Rhine. Even though it was built in 1931 to 1932, it cannot keep up with more modern buildings such as the South Bridge. Interestingly, a “Letter of Intent” was signed in 2020 to plan the construction of another Rhine bridge and thus improve cross-border traffic.
But back to the south bridge: a memorial plaque on site commemorates the 19 workers who lost their lives during construction and ensures that their memory still has a place in the future today. The bridge is not only an engineering masterpiece, but also a symbol of the ambition and challenges associated with such large projects.
When it opened 50 years ago, the South Bridge significantly alleviated the traffic problems caused by the Pfaffendorfer Bridge and has still found its place in Koblenz's history to this day.