The A100 road bridge in Berlin, which runs above the city’s Ringbahn train line, has been closed after worrying cracks were discovered in the structure.

Cracks found in bridge above Berlin Ringbahn line

A road bridge in the Berlin district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf has been closed after safety inspectors discovered sizeable and increasing cracks in its structure. 

The damage was first discovered in early March, but inspectors only decided to close the bridge on March 18 when they revisited the site and found the cracks had gotten bigger.

The road bridge closure is causing continued transport disruption for drivers. While the bridge runs over a train track serving the city’s Ringbahn line, Autobahn GmbH has determined that it is still safe for the S41, S42, S45 and S46 trains to run.

Charlottenburg A100 bridge repair could take two years

The bridge in question was erected in 1963 and is used by around 230.000 vehicles each day. Local authorities are still considering where best to divert traffic which regularly uses the road.

Speaking to local public broadcaster rbb, Autobahn GmbH spokesperson Ralph Brodel said that the bridge could be closed for at least two years while repairs are done.

Following the collapse of Dresden’s Carola Bridge in September 2024, a Berlin Senate request by the Green Party revealed that 63 bridges in capital are in poor condition, meaning they are graded a 3,0 or lower by the responsible department. All bridges in Germany have a condition rating of between 1 (very good condition) and 4 (insufficient condition).

Thumb image credit: Mo Photography Berlin / Shutterstock.com