Vier-Burgen-Steg

Across the Neckar River stretches the Vier-Burgen-Steg. It’s more than just a bridge. It’s a steel marvel, a modern connector between Mühlhausen and Hofen. The Vier-Burgen-Steg opened in 2010. It gracefully carries pedestrians and cyclists across the river. But its strength goes beyond that. The bridge is engineered to handle special truck traffic, supporting loads up to 30 tons. This feat of engineering is a result of a design competition. The city of Stuttgart tasked the Tiefbauamt (Civil Engineering Office) to find the best design. The winning design came from a collaboration between Mayr | Ludescher | Partner and Wulf architekten gmbH. The Vier-Burgen-Steg is a self-anchored tied-arch bridge. Its hanger systems are uniquely positioned on the sides, a distinctive feature of its design. The main span stretches an impressive 79.2 meters. Including the land bridges and access ramps, the structure extends even further. At its highest point, the bridge boasts a width of 5.5 meters. The arch rises 16.1 meters above the roadway, creating a striking visual. The bridge deck itself is a marvel. It’s constructed as a steel hollow box with crossbeams, supporting the surface slabs that people walk and cycle on. On the Hofen side, the bridge ramp splits into two branches. These connect seamlessly with the existing cycling and walking path. On the Mühlhausen side, the ramp integrates with a pre-existing embankment, linking to the public road network. The Vier-Burgen-Steg isn’t just a passage; it’s a testament to modern engineering and thoughtful design.