Milestone at Rader Viaduct Construction

Mid-December 2025 an important section of the Rader viaduct replacement over the Kiel Canal has been completed: the last launching of the steel superstructure was successfully implemented. Except the still-to-be-completed middle section over the canal, all essential construction components of the new bridge are now in their final position – a visible and important milestone for the project.

Rader viaduct is an important thoroughfare in the north of Germany and part of motorway A7 between Hamburg and Denmark. After decades of use, the old bridge from 1972 was in a state that required a comprehensive replacement structure, to be implemented with ongoing traffic.

As part of this large-scale project, DEGES Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und bau GmbH contracted the joint venture of SSF Ingenieure and Schüssler Plan to render preliminary design, draft and approval design as well as the tender documents for the replacement bridge.

After completion of the last launching procedure, construction works continue to go ahead: the remaining middle section is planned to be built in the middle of 2026 aiming at directing traffic to the new bridge at the end of 2026. Subsequently, the old bridge will be dismantled.

The successful launching at the end of 2025 completed a central construction section – a significant progress on the way to achieving a sustainable structure on one of North Germany’s main traffic routes.