TU Ilmenau Citizens' Campus: The construction of the Thuringian Forest Highway - a transport project with high ecological responsibility

With the construction of the Thuringian Forest Highway, one of the most elaborate and complicated traffic projects in Germany was realized starting in 1996. Enormous challenges had to be overcome in the construction of the Federal Highway 71: In addition to the massive earthworks, extensive drainage systems had to be constructed and far-reaching environmental protection concerns had to be taken into account. At the same time, the construction of large viaducts, among others in the area around Ilmenau, marked the beginning of a new era in bridge construction.

In his lecture at the TU Ilmenau Citizens' Campus (previously the Senior Citizens' Academy), Dieter Engel, retired senior construction manager, traces the entire path of this massive project: from line planning to establishing building rights to implementation, during which innovative technologies were used. Engel describes how Germany's largest road tunnel, the Rennsteig Tunnel, had to be built to cross the ridge of the Thuringian Forest. The greatest possible safety was achieved through a tunnel control center and an emergency response center. In addition to the actual construction of the highway, the presentation will focus on landscaping and environmental protection.

Contact

Dr. Uwe Geishendorf
Central Institute for Education
+49 3677 69-4675
buergercampus@tu-ilmenau.de