Sewer construction and new bridge on Zschopauer Straße

Due to a change in the construction schedule for the replacement of the bridge over the DB AG facilities, Zschopauer Straße will have to be fully closed again from 26 August to probably 4 November 2019.

Construction work on the bridge structure officially began on 5 August 2019, and the two-week full closure announced in February 2019 to mark the end of the canal construction work (see press release 90 dated 14 February 2019) will now be in place from the end of August. The previously planned full closure between Ritterstraße and Clara-Zetkin-Straße has been avoided by changing the construction sequence; this area will be built continuously with half-sided traffic management.

The full closure is necessary as pits up to six metres deep will be required to reconnect both combined sewers to the newly built sewer. At the same time, the existing service pipes will be reconnected via separate pipes.

Preparations are also being made for the demolition of the landward carriageway. It is not possible to swerve the one remaining lane for reasons of space and road safety. The demolition of the bridge will follow the completion of the combined sewer. This must also be carried out under full road closure.

The existing diversions will remain in place: The landward diversion will continue to run via Annenstraße, Reitbahnstraße, Bernsdorfer Straße, Lutherstraße and Gutenbergstraße. The cityward diversion will again be via Lutherstraße, Bernsdorfer Straße and Ritterstraße.

Depending on the individual destination, Augustusburger Straße or Annaberger Straße or Reichenhainer Straße/Fraunhoferstraße are recommended as alternative routes.

According to calculations and experience from the first construction phase, the diversion routes are sufficiently efficient. However, obstructions at peak traffic times cannot be ruled out. The temporary traffic light system is designed to ensure smooth tram operation on Bernsdorfer Straße. This may restrict individual traffic somewhat.

The CVAG and RVE buses are also affected by the full closure; as things stand at present, they are travelling via the central bus stop, Reitbahnstraße, Bernsdorfer Straße and Lutherstraße.

Access to neighbouring properties will be guaranteed in consultation with the owners.

Background

The sewer construction on Zschopauer Straße is part of Deutsche Bahn AG's construction project for the "Chemnitzer Bahnbogen" and at the same time a preliminary work for the construction of the new road bridge over the Dresden-Werdau and Chemnitz-Aue railway lines.

The sewer construction work now required was originally planned to be carried out during the first full closure for the construction of the starting pit. However, they could not be carried out in parallel in terms of location and time, as suspected explosive ordnance had been found. These required particularly careful excavation, sometimes with daily monitoring of explosive ordnance during construction. This led to a delay in the excavation work, which is now to be made up for during parallel construction under full closure.

From 5 November 2019, the full closure of Zschopauer Straße is expected to be lifted and both directions of travel on Zschopauer Straße will be temporarily routed via a superstructure. The prefabricated parts of the bridge will be installed during the DB AG track closures. For the demolition of the second existing superstructure, Zschopauer Straße will have to be closed to traffic for a further fortnight in summer 2020.

The city's new bridge construction is part of the DB project "Chemnitzer Bahnbogen". In addition to replacing the track system between the main railway station and the Kappel district, all railway bridges, with the exception of the railway viaduct on Annaberger Straße, are to be completely renewed in 2020 and 2021. The necessary road closures have been agreed between DB AG and the city.

Construction work on the new bridges began on 4 March 2019 with the sewer construction as a preliminary work, with Zschopauer Straße between Lutherstraße and Ritterstraße completely closed. From 6 May 2019 until 25 August, traffic will be possible in one direction towards the city centre.