At its meeting on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), the City Council’s Building Committee decided to begin preparations for the replacement of the Essenbach Bridge over the Schwabach River. The project is scheduled for 2027–2028. Since improvements to flood protection by the State Water Management Office require construction work along the Schwabach River, the projects will be carried out together.
Reason for the renovation
The 72-year-old structure carries Bayreuther Straße across the Schwabach in the northern part of downtown. It is part of a major transportation corridor. As part of routine inspections, the bridge’s structural rating has continued to deteriorate; at the last inspection in June, it received a rating of 2.8. The bridge’s structural stability is not affected. Nevertheless, experts have recommended various renovation measures. Concrete spalling, damage to railings, corrosion, and other issues indicate an urgent need for renovation. The primary cause is the structure’s advanced age. Additionally, the bridge has low curbs that can easily be driven over by vehicles. However, raising the curbs is not possible due to load-bearing capacity limitations.
The Essenbach Bridge looking east (Photo: Civil Engineering Office)
Major renovation investments are not economically viable due to the limited potential for extending the bridge’s service life. This is particularly true in combination with the upcoming flood protection measures. The measures initiated by the Nuremberg Water Management Office would require construction work on the bridge itself. In the event of a new bridge being built at a later date, part of the flood protection would have to be dismantled and subsequently rebuilt.
Therefore, several factors support the implementation of a new bridge replacement project concurrently with the Schwabach flood protection project. The framework conditions for a new bridge superstructure are now to be coordinated with the Nuremberg Water Management Office.
A total of 140,000 euros in planning funds will be allocated for this year and next. Starting in the 2027 budget, 1.6 million euros are to be allocated as funding for the construction.
Current construction sites and road closures in the city
Construction sites & closures
We build and renovate for you. All current construction sites and road closures in the city can be found here.
Construction sites & closures
We build and renovate for you. All current construction sites and road closures in the city can be found here.