New Schwienau Bridge between Stadorf and Linden ceremoniously opened!

New Schwienau Bridge between Stadorf and Linden ceremoniously opened!

The new Schwienau Bridge between Stadorf and Linden was officially opened in a celebratory ceremony on July 2, 2025. The Uelzen district administrator Dr. Heiko Blume cut the barrier tape and opened the bridge to traffic. This new building not only comes a month earlier than planned, but also marks a milestone in the region's rural infrastructure development. Among those present were Schwienau's mayor Hans-Joachim Bütow and the chairman of the planning committee Rainer Fabel, who underlined how important this bridge is for the local community with words of praise for the cooperation with the construction companies involved and the district.

The construction work, which began on February 3, 2025 with the demolition of the old bridge structure, became necessary because the former structure was no longer load-bearing due to age-related wear and tear. With a total cost of around 650,000 euros, 60 percent of which is funded by the state of Lower Saxony, the new bridge offers a wider roadway that allows agricultural traffic to pass unhindered. “This is a good piece of infrastructure in the country,” said Blume, who praised the smooth construction process and considers the creation of modern transport conditions in the region to be important.

Important steps for rural mobility

The construction work not only included bridge construction, but also extended to civil engineering and road construction work from the outskirts of Stadorf to the junction of the community path to Altenebstorf. District road 12 was completely closed on both sides of the Schwienau during this work, which meant that there was no direct connection between Stadorf, Linden and Altenebstorf during the construction period. Diversions were necessary and led via state road 233. Pedestrians had to forego a crossing during the entire construction period, which was made more difficult by the difficult circumstances.

However, the importance of this bridge extends beyond just traffic flow. As part of a sustainable mobility project run by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), a guideline was developed that offers municipalities practical solutions for rural areas. The goal is to sensibly combine different means of transport and also to promote alternatives such as car and bicycle sharing and citizen buses. Here the new bridge benefits regional development by supporting rural mobility offerings.

"In rural areas, the car is often the most important means of transport. However, we must promote the diversity of means of transport," said Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, who emphasized that a realistic transport policy should take both urban and rural needs into account. For example, multimodal and intermodal mobility concepts are the key to a future-oriented transport infrastructure. If the bridge now fulfills its function, further measures can be introduced to improve traffic conditions - a challenge that the region wants to master with flying colors.

The official opening of the Schwienau Bridge not only represents a new phase in the transport infrastructure, but also shows how important cooperation and planning are in rural regions. There is a lot going on here, and the future of mobility will continue to gain momentum - hopefully to the benefit of all residents in Uelzen and the surrounding area.

For more information about the infrastructure measures in the region, visit the website Uelzen press, des Uelzen district and des Federal Ministry of Transport.