The closure of the Nordbrücke in Bonn on the A565 has prompted Green party traffic politician Tarek Al-Wazir to accuse the federal government of setting the wrong priorities regarding infrastructure projects. Speaking to Deutschlandfunk on Saturday, he criticized Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), arguing that the ministry places too much emphasis on constructing new highways. This focus, in his view, results in insufficient financial resources and planning capacity for the necessary renovation of existing structures.
Al-Wazir further pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Transport demanded a massive widening during the planned reconstruction of the closed Nordbrücke in Bonn, which significantly complicates the project. He insisted that the repair of existing infrastructure must be given “absolute priority.” Currently, only 2.5 billion euros annually from the federal special fund for infrastructure is allocated to renovations, while costs typically accounted for in the regular budget are being transferred into this dedicated special fund.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Brücke complex, part of the A565 and built in 1967, was temporarily shut down on Wednesday afternoon after structural damage was found in the bridge’s abutment on the left bank of the Rhine. This incident led to major traffic disruptions across the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region. During an assessment visit, Federal Transport Minister Schnieder had promised prompt relief. Authorities are currently examining whether the bridge can be temporarily stabilized to allow for some restricted usage while permanent reconstruction is organized.
