The old Thalaubachtal bridge will be blown up on Sunday. Safety measures and road closures apply. At the same time, clubs organize parties for onlookers.

Döllbach/Thalau – The demolition of the two bridge parts of the Thalaubachtal Bridge is planned for 11 a.m. The entire area, which is within around 300 meters of the bridge, will then be cordoned off and no longer allowed to be entered from 10 a.m. About five minutes before the big bang, the blaster gives several beeps. A loud, frightening bang can be heard around two to three minutes beforehand. This is supposed to scare birds. If the blast was successful, the demolition master will release the area again at around 11:15 a.m.

Bridge blowing up on the A7: All information about closures and festivals

Several streets around the blasting site have to be closed – for safety reasons and to remove the bridge parts. The B279, which runs under the bridge, is already closed and is expected to remain closed until April 2nd. The commercial and cycle path between Thalau and Döllbach will remain closed until March 24th. On Sunday itself, the A7 will be particularly affected. It will be completely closed between the Fulda triangle and the Bad Brückenau-Volkers junction from 10 a.m. to probably 5 p.m.

The diversion leads in the south direction from the Fulda triangle via the A66 to the Fulda-Süd junction, then on the B279 through Rothemann to Döllbach and via the L2790/St2790 (former B27) through Motten, Kothen and Speicherz to the Bad Brückenau-Volkers junction. In the north direction, the diversion is reversed. There is an absolute ban on stopping in the through towns of Motten, Kothen and Speicherz, writes Autobahn GmbH.

After the demolition, the existing bridge will be checked. “An engineer looks at the bridge and then opens it to traffic,” explains Viktor Toderenschuk, head of the bridge and civil engineering department at the responsible construction company Bickhardt Bau.

If you want to watch the explosion, you have several options. Moritz Gorny, spokesman for Autobahn GmbH, says: “It’s best for spectators to stay on paved paths.” Fields and fields should be avoided. Some residents will also cordon off their properties with tape.

On the Thalau side of the bridge, the Thalau boys' club invites you to a party with morning pints. The location is exactly on the 300 meter barrier. “We had known for a while that the bridge would be blown up and thought it would be a cool idea,” explains Julius Aha from the board of the 1986 Thalau boys’ association. “It’s a spectacle you probably won’t see too often in your life.” The party starts at 10 a.m. If you want to join in the celebrations, you can park at the sports field in Thalau and then walk along the cycle path towards the bridge.

“We have agreed with the sports club that people can use the parking lot there. From there it is only a few hundred meters on foot to the square,” he explains. In addition to sausages, pretzels and drinks, the club has a speaker who will give the information about the blasting live: “We researched in advance and spoke to the construction manager. A civil engineer from Thalau then informs the people on site about everything important about the blasting.” As a special extra, everyone who shows up wearing a construction helmet will receive a free drink.

Public viewing of the bridge blowing up: Fire brigade expects thousands of visitors

A festival is also planned on the Döllbach side of the bridge. The Döllbach fire department invites you to a public viewing on the K69 above Döllbach. Bratwurst, drinks and cakes are sold there from 10 a.m. for 1 euro each. “We found out three to four weeks ago that the bridge was going to be blown up and we thought we'd organize something,” announced Heiko Schmitt, fire chief in Döllbach, adding: “The short notice was a big challenge. We were prepared to provide care for several thousand people.”

The fire department expects a total of around 5,000 to 10,000 spectators. However, it is difficult to estimate how many of them will stop by their comrades for a bratwurst or a drink. The event will take place on a meadow between Döllbach and Büchenberg on the K69. On this day, this will only be a one-way street in the direction of Büchenberg; the other lane can be used for parking. There is a no-parking zone on Odilienstrasse. Onlookers can then travel via Zillbach or Uttrichshausen to watch the spectacle.