A26 Linz Motorway – Challenges looking back and looking forward.

After a long planning and approval phase, the main construction work on the A26 Linz motorway began at the beginning of 2019. The new A26 road section, large parts of which are underground, will not only significantly relieve the existing inner‐city traffic routes around Linz, but will also provide an additional Danube crossing in the form of a suspension bridge with a span of over 300 m. The main elements of the first Phase of construction are the Danube Bridge and two underground branches, north and south of the Danube, with excavated cross‐sections of up to 400 m2 and ramp tunnels with tight curves. The planning of an inner‐city construction project requires the comprehensive and careful consideration of the protection of the local residents with regard to the effects of noise and vibration. It also needs the impact of the construction work on the existing traffic routes to be reduced as much as possible. The material excavated from the Freinberg tunnel and the Danube South junction must be transported away via the Danube waterway. The project‐specific framework conditions, such as the very high number of tunnel portals, the sound reflections within the Danube valley and the low overburden require considerable measures to reduce their impact during the construction phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]