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Karlsruhe and Ettlingen: Important bridge is finally being renewed!
The bridge between Karlsruhe and Ettlingen is being renovated to improve traffic. Planning phase begins in early 2026.
Karlsruhe and Ettlingen: Important bridge is finally being renewed!
An important connection between Karlsruhe-Rüppurr and Ettlingen is about to be renovated: the bridge that runs over the federal highway 5 and dates back to the 1970s is now to be completely renovated. The cities of Karlsruhe and Ettlingen announced this in a joint statement. The Autobahn GmbH Südwest branch is responsible for the renovation and has already initiated the first steps. The bridge plays a central role in traffic in the region as it is heavily used by both cyclists and pedestrians. A traffic count in July this year showed that around 400 cyclists and around 80 pedestrians use the bridge on a working day. On one Sunday there were even up to 800 cyclists and 100 pedestrians who used the connection.
The bridge is not only important for everyday traffic; it is also important for agricultural concerns. Farmers use the bridge to access their fields with tractors and mowers. However, an alternative underpass near the Hägenichgraben is unsuitable for this purpose. Therefore, the renewal of the bridge is of great importance, especially for agricultural businesses, as [bnn.de](https://bnn.de/karlsruhe/karlsruhe-stadt/bessere-leitung-zwischen-karlsruhe-und-ettlingen-soll-erneuert- Werden) also states.
Important planning steps
The renewal aims to shift traffic to bicycles and pedestrians and at the same time relieve pressure on the Ettlingen motorway connection. With the renovation, both cities want to promote close networking between municipalities. A coordination date between Autobahn GmbH and the municipalities is scheduled for the end of October 2025 to discuss crucial steps. The concrete planning for the new bridge should begin at the beginning of next year, as wochenblatt-reporter.de reports.
What is particularly noticeable is that a recently built cycle path connection on Herrenalber Straße is rarely used by cyclists. Many people apparently prefer the natural routes along the Alb, which indicates that the planned bridge not only provides an easy transport connection, but can also contribute to improving the quality of life in the region. The two cities of Karlsruhe and Ettlingen are therefore optimistic and support the decision to build a new bridge, which is essential for connecting pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Overall, the renewal of the bridge is seen as a step in the right direction to promote mobility between the two cities. The existing, long-serving infrastructure is no longer being renovated, which is foreseeable given its long history. Instead, those responsible are relying on innovative solutions to better control traffic flows and create new opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians.