Ottfingen Valley Bridge on the A45 brought down in controlled collapse after failed first blasting attempt

Background: 60 major bridges on the Sauerland line

The Ottfingen Valley Bridge dates from 1971 and is one of around 60 major bridges on the so-called Sauerland line between Dortmund and Frankfurt, which have to be gradually renewed due to increased traffic loads. According to the report, twelve other bridges are already under construction, including the Rahmede Valley Bridge, which had been closed at the end of 2021 due to risk of collapse and was later completely demolished by blasting.

Since 2025, traffic has been flowing again near Lüdenscheid over the first half of the bridge. The Sauerland line, which connects the Ruhr area with the Rhine-Main region, is considered one of the most heavily used motorway connections in Germany. The bridge was located in the section between the Olpe-Süd and Freudenberg interchanges.

Demolition as part of a bridge series

The Ottfingen Valley Bridge thus joins a series of spectacular bridge demolitions on the A45. In recent years, the route has repeatedly attracted attention through bridge closures and detours, because numerous structures from the 1960s and 1970s are no longer able to cope with the increased loads. The federal government and Autobahn GmbH plan to continue the renewal of the major bridges over many years.

Residents and onlookers had gathered at a safe distance on Sunday to watch the blasting. Police had cordoned off the area around the bridge over a wide perimeter. According to the report, the follow-up blasting proceeded without further complications. No damage to surrounding buildings or to the parallel federal highway was initially reported.

Consequences for residents and traffic

The demolition work is part of the comprehensive programme for the reconstruction of the Sauerland line. For residents of the region, the blasting marks the beginning of a further construction phase in which noise, dust and traffic disruptions are to be expected. At the same time, the new construction of the bridge is intended to improve the traffic situation on the important north-south connection in the long term.

The news about the blasting was broadcast on 19 July 2026 on Deutschlandfunk's programme. Further details on the plans for the new construction of the Ottfingen Valley Bridge and on the associated traffic restrictions were not initially available.