Germany's bridge dilemma

RSSA new report highlights concern over bridge condition on Germany’s road network. Maintenance spending will have to be boosted considerably in the 2012-2016 period for the country’s road (and rail) bridges to be brought back up to the level required. Germany will have to spend some €2.75 billion on maintenance and repair of bridges around the country to ensure that condition is optimal. The survey was carried out by Joachim Naumann for the German industry association 5282 BDI and other groups and this revealed how the country’s bridges are in a poor state of repair. There is concern within the BDI that the dilapidated bridges will have a major impact on the economy. The survey shows that bridges carrying major major roads in Germany’s western provinces are affected most severely. Other countries in Europe are also thought to be facing similar problems, with previous reports having suggested a lack of sufficient maintenance having negatively affected bridge condition in various nations.