Bad Kösen and Letzlingen: Construction projects win the 2025 Engineering Prize!

Bad Kösen and Letzlingen: Construction projects win the 2025 Engineering Prize!

Things are currently getting very exciting in Saxony-Anhalt, as two outstanding construction projects have been completed German Engineering Prize for Roads and Transport Awarded in 2025. This honor shows that innovative architecture and well-thought-out planning not only benefit traffic, but are also important for the environment and citizens.

Particular attention is paid to the Saale crossing near Bad Kösen, which won second prize in the building culture category. This impressive bridge stretches over 1,226 meters and will be part of the future Bad Kösen bypass on federal highway 87. It connects the northern and southern slopes of the Saale valley and spans the Saale and several ICE routes at a height of up to 60 meters. A great project that not only relieves traffic, but also offers the region a new perspective. The planning work for this construction project was carried out by the KREBS+KIEFER Ingenieure GmbH carried out.

Innovations in construction

In the Innovation and Digitalization category, a remarkable new digital construction process that was used to renew the road from Letzlingen to the Börde district is being honored. This was done through the use of theBIM method(Building Information Modeling). This creates a digital image of the building that everyone involved in the construction has access to. This makes collaboration more efficient and the entire process more transparent. This road renewal measure cost over three million euros and was carried out between August and October 2024.

Saxony-Anhalt's Minister for Infrastructure and Digital, Dr. Lydia Hüskens, praised the initiators and designers of the Saale crossing. “The extensive planning and consideration of nature conservation aspects – including overflight aids and a bat tunnel – are exemplary,” she said. Before construction began, extensive archaeological investigations were also carried out, as the route crosses the battlefield of Jena and Auerstedt (1806).

A major investment for the region

With an investment of around 200 million euros, the entire Bad Kösen bypass project is a real gem within the framework of the Structural Strengthening Act for Coal Regions. The new route is not only intended to relieve the city of through traffic, but also cover a distance of 13.3 kilometers. Construction began in May 2021 and completion is expected by the end of 2026.

The digital construction site of the B71, which received first prize in the innovation and digitalization category, already shows through its planning efficiency that things can only move forward in the construction industry when it comes to digitalization. Over 200,000 euros in prizes were awarded as part of the German Civil Engineering Prize to honor and promote the best civil engineering structures. This underlines the high value that engineering services have in the construction industry.

For the citizens of Bad Kösen and the surrounding area, these developments are a reason to be happy - because progress can sometimes be as simple as a bridge that not only brings the country but also the people together. One more reason to look forward!