After 18 months of delays, a new temporary bridge over the Sûre in Diekirch has opened to reconnect the Sauerwiss district to the town centre.
For the past year and a half, the 'Ficelles' bridge in Diekirch has been closed due to safety concerns. The closure has frustrated not only the local authorities but also pedestrians and cyclists who relied on it daily.
Although a temporary pontoon bridge had been installed, it had to be closed repeatedly whenever the river flooded. Now, starting Monday, a more robust temporary structure will finally be accessible to the public.
Only in Diekirch might you find three bridges side by side. However, this image won't last long. With the original 'Ficelles' bridge still closed, the small pontoon will soon be dismantled, leaving just the newly completed provisional bridge. At 70m in length, it is the longest temporary bridge ever installed in Luxembourg, with a span of 40m and a width of 3.5 metres.
Because there was not enough space to fully assemble the bridge and lift it into place with a crane, the structure had to be built segment by segment on one side of the Sûre river and pushed into position. The extended timeline, nearly 18 months, was largely due to the location of the bridge in a flood-prone area.
According to Fritz de Oliveira, head of civil structures at the National Roads Administration, this required extensive studies to ensure the new installation would not negatively affect nearby residents or worsen flood risks.
He explained that sourcing the bridge components from the UK also contributed to delays. In the past, such elements might have arrived within one or two months, but post-Brexit customs complications meant this time the materials took four to five months to reach Luxembourg, he said.
The total cost of the project was around €700,000.
Close to the new bridge, a water retention basin was excavated to absorb overflow during high water events. After discussions between the municipality and the National Roads Administration, a backflow outlet was also added.
While local politicians had long voiced frustration with the National Roads Administration, their tone has since softened. Nevertheless, there are still clear expectations for the future. José Lopes, first alderman of Diekirch, said the municipality hopes the temporary bridge will not end up becoming a long-term fixture. Instead, he emphasised the urgent need to begin and complete the refurbishment of the original 'Ficelles' bridge as soon as possible. Ideally, he added, the temporary bridge could then be dismantled and relocated to a place where it is needed more.
However, that hope may not be realised quickly. According to de Oliveira, future work must comply with updated standards, especially those concerning flood resistance. He clarified that the old bridge will not just be renovated, it will need to be significantly redesigned to meet new criteria, which will take time to plan.
As things stand, renovation work on the original bridge is not expected to begin before 2028 and will likely take around 18 months to complete.
