A14 autobahn, Sachsen
Environmental impact assessment and wildlife conservation technical report
The condition of the Mulde Bridge near Grimma, which was built in the 1970s across the Vereinigte Mulde river, has continuously deteriorated as a result of steadily increasing traffic volumes. Therefore, the bridge, which has a length of 342 m and a width of 26 m, needs to be replaced.
In the course of preliminary design work, Inros Lackner prepared an environmental impact assessment and wildlife conservation technical report. Then followed the analysis of a detailed mapping of bird and bat life in the area. As a result, a special faunistic significance of the bridge’s east abutment was identified. It serves several bat species (greater mouse-eared bat, Natterer's bat and parti-coloured bat) as nursery roost, temporary home, daytime hiding place and mating quarters. Following intensive discussions between the responsible environmental and technical design specialists, an approach to retaining the places used by bats was developed, which technically optimises the retention of the lower chamber of the bridge abutment.