Through traffic in Reiskirchen via the B49 will have to be diverted for almost four weeks. The reason for this is the repair of damage to a drinking water transport pipeline in the town centre directly under a railway track.
From 22 March to 16 April 2021, it will not be possible to drive through Reiskirchen as usual via the B49. The closure and therefore the inter-urban diversion of traffic is necessary because Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) has to repair damage to its drinking water transport pipeline during this period. "The burst pipe is located directly under the railway line that crosses the main road," says Peter Keller, Head of the Energy & Water Networks department at SWG, describing the situation.
It is precisely this location that makes the matter comparatively complicated. The damage actually occurred back in February. "However, water customers didn't notice any of this," Peter Keller continues. SWG was able to secure the supply via other pipes. Nevertheless, the important connection between the waterworks in Queckborn and the city of Giessen needs to be repaired as quickly as possible. There is a reason why the necessary work will not start until the end of March: a lot of permits need to be obtained first. Because the B49 in this section is part of a diversion for the A5 motorway, SWG had to coordinate its plans not only with the district of Giessen, but also with the motorway authority. And because the damaged section lies under the railway track, the approval of Deutsche Bahn was also necessary. "We are very pleased that all the relevant authorities gave us their approval so quickly," explains Markus Paul, the responsible project manager at SWG.
No frost damage
Contrary to what many laypeople might assume given the low temperatures in February, this burst pipe is not frost damage. "At a depth of three metres, frost no longer plays a role," explains Peter Keller and names the cause: "It was simply material wear." It is worth mentioning that the affected section of pipe is one of the few pipe sections from the very beginning. In other words, it dates back to 1894 and has therefore worked perfectly for around 127 years. "Due to its advanced age, we are planning to replace the section in the Reiskirchen area anyway," announces Peter Keller. However, the new pipeline will then no longer run through the village, but past it.
To carry out the repair, SWG will pull a plastic pipe around 18 metres long into the damaged cast iron pipe. "This is by far the quickest method," Peter Keller points out. Nevertheless, SWG have to go to great lengths. This is because this measure requires a head hole that is longer than average - at least on one side. Due to its depth, SWG also has to install sheet piling. "This is the only way the employees can do their job safely," explains Peter Keller.
The diversions in detail
Due to the full closure of the B49 in the area of the railway crossing in Reiskirchen, traffic will be widely diverted. The alternative route runs from Bersröder Straße in Reiskirchen via the L3129 and the L3357 to Grünberg-Reinhardshain and Grünberg-Beltershain. From there, take the L3127 to Grünberg. This route corresponds to diversion U11 and in the opposite direction to diversion U12. The emergency diversion routes U20 and U25 - which are used if there are problems on the A5 motorway - will also be routed via this section of road for the duration of the closure.
From the direction of Burkhardsfelden or Hattenrod or Reiskirchen below the railway road, the U12 diversion leads along the B49 via Lindenstruth to Grünberg, from there via the L3127 to Grünberg-Beltershain and Grünberg-Reinhardshain and via the L3357 and L3129 back to Reiskirchen.