The Swiss Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) has commissioned Italian heavy transport vehicle manufacturer Cometto to supply equipment for use in its ‘ASTRA bridge’. The ASTRA bridge is a mobile bridge designed to allow motorway resurfacing without obstructing traffic or causing traffic jams that is currently being built.

The Cometto order comprises: 22 power packs; 22 valve packs; two control cabins; 72 MSPE bogies (for the bridge’s gantries), eight SPMT bogies (for the bridge’s ramps); 16 ModulMAX SP-E bogies (also for the bridge’s ramps); and a satellite navigation system for the complete bridge.

When complete the finished bridge will be almost 240 metres long. It is designed to be positioned over the section of roadway to be resurfaced and enables cars to drive over it at speeds of up to 60km/h whilst work continues below it. The bridge itself consists of a drive-on ramp, 18 portals, 19 intermediate sections and a departure ramp.

Around 100 metres are available under the bridge for the actual construction work. Once the work under the bridge is finished, the mobile bridge is moved a further 100 metres by remote control for the next construction section.

The individual sections for the ASTRA Bridge are currently being manufactured. The first sections were completed on 26 July 2021 and it should be finished by the end of autumn. It will then be assembled for testing before going into use in spring 2022, when surface replacement is planned as a pilot project on the A1 section between Recherswil and Luterbach, Switzerland.