Horb on the Neckar

Viaduct Horb

A structure that shortens travel times and noticeably relieves traffic in the region

The project involves the construction of a 667-meter-long, up to 90-meter-high viaduct with six spans. The three central piers will be designed as pylons with V-shaped flares, from which the superstructure will be “suspended.” The foundation will consist primarily of large-diameter bored piles with a diameter of 1.50 meters and depths of up to 40 meters. The new high-level bridge will carry Federal Highway B32 over the Neckar Valley in the future, ensuring that through traffic no longer burdens Horb’s city center. For commuters, logistics companies, and the municipal infrastructure, this means: shorter routes, greater safety, and fewer traffic jams.

Project Kickoff and Initial Construction Phases

After the project launched in 2023, progress moved swiftly: PORR completed the special civil engineering work south of the Neckar, and the southern abutment as well as the first pier were erected. At the same time, work began on the deep foundations for the auxiliary axes of the falsework, as well as the erection of the falsework in the southern section. BIM was actively introduced from the outset as a digital pilot project and utilized in day-to-day construction operations.

A superstructure that grows – section by section

In the southern construction section, the first bridge pier was constructed in 2024. Starting at the abutment, the first superstructure section of a total of 26 construction sections was erected on a sliding formwork. In mid-April 2024, the first superstructure section was successfully completed.

In the summer of 2024, the team reached the valley center. The superstructure was continued in sections 2 through 4—including the installation of steel crossbeams, reinforcement, and internal tendons—while the third advancing formwork was simultaneously erected.

Specialized civil engineering expertise for a secure foundation

In September 2024, the Karlsruhe Regional Council handed over the “Am Rauschbart” construction site. There, PORR Spezialtiefbau began work on the bored pile foundations: a total of 233 large bored piles up to 44 m in length were installed, numerous temporary piers were constructed, and approximately 100,000 m³ of earth was moved to create the working levels and construction roads.

By the end of February 2025, the foundation work was completed, allowing construction of the support structures and piers to begin on the north side as well.

Completion of the first pylon superstructure

In April 2025, a significant milestone was reached: The 50-meter-long, curved superstructure section in the area of the first, southern pylon was formworked, reinforced, and successfully concreted 65 meters above the Neckar in just 2.5 months. Over 600 m³ of concrete was poured at great height during this process. This section forms the foundation for the V-shaped, flared pylons and the subsequent cable stay system, with five stay cables on each side.

At the same time, work continued in the north on the “Am Rauschbart” abutment, while 60-meter-long, up to 14-centimeter-thick heavy plates were being prepared to reinforce the cross-beams.

Pylon grows, first cable section takes shape

By fall 2025, the first two of a total of six pylons had been completed, and the last pier on the north side had also been erected. This created the conditions for constructing the next superstructure sections.

In September 2025, the first of three cable sections was erected—a technically challenging milestone given the limited space between the railway line and the bike path. A 700-ton crawler crane lifted the heavy-gauge steel plates, which were up to 60 meters long and weighed 100 tons.

Superstructure grows visibly

By the end of January 2026, nearly half of the entire superstructure had been erected. Following the cable installation work on the first pylon, the advancing scaffolding was moved to the next construction sections, allowing work to proceed simultaneously at five locations in the future.

At the same time, preparations were made for the second and final deployment of the crawler crane, which was to hoist the remaining heavy steel plates.

In late February 2026, installation of the stay cables began as the central structural element of the high bridge. At axes 30, 40, and 50, the superstructure is braced with five stay cables per girder. Modern stranded cables are anchored in a force-fit manner over the pylons and the superstructure in several tensioning stages.

A project that creates connections

The Horb Viaduct is a structure that not only demonstrates engineering excellence but, above all, offers one thing: a noticeably higher quality of life, efficient mobility, and sustainable relief for the entire region. The bridge creates capacity, improves traffic flow, and strengthens connections to key economic corridors.

Animated overview

This Youtube video by Karlsruhe Regional Council gives an impressive, animated overview of the entire project.

See more pictures and videos about the project:

• Media library: Horb viaduct