Zeller Bridge: Tracks released after demolition - Odenwaldbahn starts!

Zeller Bridge: Tracks released after demolition - Odenwaldbahn starts!

After the Zeller Bridge near Bad König was blown up, the way for a certain normality is now clear. The rubble on the tracks has been cleared and the Odenwaldbahn will be running continuously again from Monday, August 18th. This is relieving news for commuters and travelers, as the railway line under the bridge has not been accessible since May 14th due to the risk of collapse. Until the bridge was blown up, there was a replacement rail service between Groß-Umstadt-Wiebelsbach and Erbach.

The Zeller Bridge, which had been closed since the end of April 2023 due to cracks in the concrete, was blown up once and for all on July 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with around 44 kilos of explosives. Weighing 3,000 tons, the bridge was a significant structure on the B45 and was used by around 15,000 vehicles every day. The evacuation of 33 residential units on Helmertweg and Heuberweg streets as well as a safety zone of 250 meters around the blast site were part of the extensive security precautions.

New construction of the bridge is being planned

The construction company quickly began clearing the tracks after the demolition, and Deutsche Bahn is expected to release the tracks this week. Vias is currently carrying out test and transfer trips in the remaining days. The remaining construction site under the bridge is also being cleared of rubble. The demolition material generated there is crushed directly on site and used as consolidation material.

The clearance work is now scheduled to be completed two weeks earlier than planned by the end of August. At the same time, the tender documents for the construction of the new bridge have already been published. This is a functional call for tenders that offers companies the opportunity to introduce innovative concepts. The design and construction of the new bridge will be contracted out to a company to speed up the construction process.

Construction companies have until the beginning of November to submit their offers. If the tender process goes smoothly, the contract could take place as early as this year. The new construction of the Zeller Bridge should then begin next year. Until then, however, there will be no temporary bridge during construction.

For residents and commuters in the region, this not only means an end to the restrictions, but also the prospect of a modern and safe overpass on the B45. Interest in the developments surrounding the bridge remains correspondingly high - as does the anticipation of the new opportunities that will arise from the new building. Of course, progress is of great importance not only for rail, but also for all road transport.

For more details about the blasting and current progress, here is [hessenschau.de](https://www.hessenschau.de/panorama/zeller-bruecke-im-odenwald-alles-zur- Sprengung-auf-der-b45-v5,bruecke- Sprengung-b45-100.html) as well [fr.de](https://www.fr.de/rhein-main/zeller-bruecke-gleise-nach-bruecken Sprengung-freigeraeumt-93881815.html).