Drainage on Highway A26

ECON inserts at the highway interchange 'HH-Süderelbe'

After the section of Federal Highway 26 between the Lower Saxony towns of Jork and Neu Wulmstorf was opened to traffic in February of this year, the construction companies, including Depenbrock Bau GmbH & Co. KG from Sternwede, are making every effort to complete the final stretch between the Lower Saxony/Hamburg state border and the BAB 7 as planned by the year 2026.

Consideration of environmental aspects

Since the route of the A26 between the state border and the A7 predominantly runs along the northern edge of a nature conservation and European bird protection area in an east-west direction, the alignment of the route is designed to minimize disturbance to both the bird protection area and the residential population and agricultural use.

Environmental aspects are taken into account through measures such as compensation and replacement measures for nature, as well as complementary measures such as securing the biotope corridor and water management procedures.

Ecological Drainage Concept

The project A26 West encompasses extensive measures, including the construction of an interchange, 17 new bridges, a tunnel structure, over 11 kilometers of noise barriers, five rainwater purification and retention facilities, and the renewal of drainage facilities in the area of the A7. The drainage concept includes, among other things, the continued drainage through gutters, drains, and pipelines in the median strip. However, road runoff will no longer be discharged into the highway-side ditches via embankment cascades as previously done. Instead, pipelines will direct the water into the purification and retention facilities. Only then will the road runoff enter the existing highway-side ditches, which serve as storage space and release the water gradually into the watercourse.

ECON attachment for effective drainage

To ensure the highest level of safety for road users even in adverse weather conditions, the road drains are equipped with ECON attachments from Hydrotec Technologies AG for rapid and effective drainage. These attachments, featuring a square frame geometry in a sloping design, an inlet cross-section of 950 cm², and a slot width of 25 mm, will ensure rapid and secure drainage even during heavy rainfall. The robust Hydrotec ECON attachments, with a total weight of approximately 57 kilograms, are made of ductile cast iron and are designed for load class D 400. Equipped with a replaceable HYDROpren insert made of polychloroprene according to DIN 53505, premature wear is prevented, ensuring high abrasion resistance and durability.

The ECON attachment also offers special advantages in terms of maintenance, as per DIN EN 124-2. A hinge allows for a 90° locking or 110° locking (inspection position) of the grate, making it easier to handle during maintenance work. In the 90° position, the grate can be easily removed when needed. Furthermore, the attachments have a centrally mounted spring locking mechanism located beneath the grate, serving as a safety lock that is not obstructed by traffic.