Mautern to build temporary Danube bridge from 2027

Lower Austria’s state government has awarded a contract for a temporary replacement bridge near Mautern, with construction due to start in mid-2027, ORF reports. The project is expected to cost about 73.5 million euros and will allow traffic to cross the Danube while the existing bridge between Stein and Mautern is renovated.

The new bridge will be built about 25 metres upstream from the existing one. It will comprise three structures: a main span of about 335 metres over the Danube and two further spans over the B3 and B33 roads. Construction is expected to take about 14 months, after which the bridge will open to traffic.

The historic steel structures of the existing bridge will then be floated out, and its three river piers will be dismantled and realigned. The full renovation is due to begin in autumn 2028, with the steel structures refurbished at a separate assembly site. The original truss design will be retained and connected to a new, wider substructure. The roadway will be widened by about 2.5 metres, while the pedestrian and cycle paths on each side will each be about 2.5 metres wide.

Once renovation is complete, the steel structures will be placed back on the rebuilt piers. The bridge is expected to reopen in 2032, when the temporary structure will also be removed and the construction area restored. In an emergency, part of the temporary bridge could be used as a makeshift crossing.

Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner said the bridge was important to commuters, businesses, agriculture, pupils and visitors to the region. Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer said the plan would provide a direct crossing during construction, reflecting a clear request from the region.