Mountain Loop in a German Road

Abstract

The Hohensyburg valley, along which runs the road leading to the great Ruhr valley, is especially beautiful in the neighborhood of the Hengstey lake. Taking advantage that one of the bridges had to be rebuilt, a balcony has been included, at a suitable vantage point, from which the beauty of the valley can be admired. It was decided to build a loop in the road layout, so that it crosses itself at a higher level, and this facilitates the possibility of admiring the surrounding landscape, including the valley and lake. The road axis forms, in planform, a circle, of 36 m radius. The balcony consists of the sidewalks of the top part of the loop, where the road crosses itself. To enable the cars to be parked, several parking spaces have been provided. The bridge is made of reinforced concrete and has three small spans. One of the two original abutments has been used, and a tie member has been fitted, to counteract any lack of stability in the soil. The total width of the deck is 15 m, of which 8.50 are taken up with the road itself.