Project Completion: Port Entrance Bridge Düsseldorf

The bridge, located centrally between the so-called Media Harbour, the state parliament and the old city, crosses the port entrance in Düsseldorf and brings cycle and pedestrian lanes from the promontory on the parliament’s side over the Rhine to Bremer Strasse and Paradise Beach. It is an extension of the Rhine promenade in the heart of Düsseldorf and is not only an important traffic link but one of the inner city’s characteristic structures. The cycle lane on the bridge is part of the European Rhine cycle route “Euro-Velo 15” and heavily frequented by leisure cyclists.

The bridge is a suspended truss structure, crossing the port entrance with around 96 metres. It is accessed via two ramps of 95 and 110 metres length respectively. During an inspection of the bridge built in 1992, several damages became apparent, which required renovation. Additional steel girders were assembled in order to replace the old wooden plank deck with new synthetic planks. A movable scaffolding was suspended under the bridge to maintain unrestricted ship traffic at the port entrance.

The railings along the ramps were optimised. Furthermore, guiding elements for cyclists were mounted to the ramp posts. To avoid rain puddles, sloping concrete was added to the existing horizontal platforms. New corrosion protection was applied to the railings along the ramps.

The comprehensive renovation works were implemented during a complete closure of the bridge from the end of August until mid-December 2023. Corrosion protection was applied in the summer of 2024 during a partial closure of the bridge, and pedestrians and cyclists were able to cross the port entrance without detours on the popular route along the Rhine.

We are happy that the successful and on-time completion of the project contributes to the safe and efficient cycle link in Düsseldorf’s inner city, as well as to improved safety for pedestrians.