Work began on the bridge, which was built in 1972, at the beginning of September 2018. This work is so extensive and complex that a full closure is necessary. The ships on the canal are being guided under the bridge in a single lane. The detour are being well received by road users. Pedestrians and cyclists can continue to use the bridge.

The bridge was built with a load class of 60 tons. Bridge inspections in recent years have included weld seam inspections, which have shown that some of the weld seams on the hangers need to be replaced. Based on the increasing load on the bridge due to heavy goods traffic and the available results of the bridge inspection, an engineering firm was commissioned to recalculate the bridge.

On the basis of the bridge inspection, the following maintenance and renewal measures were identified: The replacement of around 2,600 bolts; the cross girders need to be reinforced with various plates. Below the deck (supporting structure), the hollow trapezoidal stiffeners on both abutments need to be reinforced, the bolts in the hanger connections need to be replaced and the weld seams of the hangers below the bridge need to be renewed. This work is time-consuming and complicated, which is why it cannot be carried out while traffic is moving or in strong winds, for example.

The repair work on the first construction phase has now been completed. The suspended scaffolding has already been moved for the second construction phase. Following this renovation, the roadway will be renewed.

Those responsible at the City of Salzgitter's Civil Engineering and Transport Department believe that the load-bearing capacity will be secured for a longer period of time following this renovation work. In future, the bridge will be inspected by experts at shorter intervals. In the long term, however, a new bridge will have to be considered.

The total costs for the renovation of the bridge amount to around 3.1 million euros.

The city will receive financial support of around 1.09 million euros from the Lower Saxony State Authority for Road Construction and Transport in accordance with the GVFG.

The administration would like to thank all those affected for their understanding of the traffic obstructions that have arisen and will continue to arise until the end of September 2019.