Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 Builds Wildlife Bridge Over Swiss Motorway
- Meagan Wood
- Aug 4, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 12
30 Second Takeaway
Affolter Transporte AG successfully completed the installation of a new wildlife bridge over Switzerland’s A1 motorway using a carefully coordinated multi-crane operation, led by its Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 mobile crane. Over six precisely timed night shifts, three Liebherr mobile cranes worked in sequence to transport, stage, and install 50 massive curved timber beams, each weighing up to 20 tonnes and measuring 38 metres long. Tight motorway closure windows, complex logistics, and pinpoint lifting accuracy demanded flawless coordination, demonstrating how integrated crane fleets and meticulous planning are essential for modern infrastructure and environmental projects.
Several wildlife crossings are currently being constructed across motorways in Switzerland. At one such new wildlife bridge on the A1 motorway near Solothurn, the Bern-based company Affolter Transporte AG recently installed massive timber beams. Due to the required temporary closure of the motorway, the operation had to be meticulously planned and executed. Over six perfectly coordinated night shifts, the 38-metre-long elements were installed on schedule.
During the construction of a major wildlife crossing, crane and transport company Affolter from Schüpfen (Canton of Bern) installed the substructure of the new bridge over six nights. The key challenge in this project was the narrow time window for motorway closures, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Each night, up to ten timber beams, each three metres high and 38 metres long, had to be delivered and lifted into place.
Among the equipment on the A1 motorway was the Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 – the most powerful crane in the family-run company’s fleet. With a maximum radius of 25 metres, the six-axle crane placed its 20-tonne loads at half-hour intervals. The slightly curved timber beams span all four lanes of the motorway without intermediate supports.
Precise coordination between transport and assembly
The long timber elements were delivered from Rapperswil, around 20 kilometres away. A 20-year-old Liebherr mobile crane loaded them onto the trailers of the heavy transport vehicles at a storage site. Upon arrival at the construction site, an LTM 1160-5.2 unloaded the cargo and placed the beams into a holding frame. The larger mobile crane then hooked the bulky loads and installed the beams. The night operations ran like Swiss clockwork, ensuring the carriageways were cleared by early morning and reopened in time for rush-hour traffic. In addition to the three Liebherr cranes, Affolter deployed four tractor units and two escort vehicles each night. After just under a week, the timber structure of the bridge was completed. The finished wildlife bridge will span more than 50 metres in width.
The company, led by brothers Ernst and Rudolf Affolter, employs 45 staff across four locations in the cantons of Bern and Aargau. In addition to a city crane, the extensive fleet includes five Liebherr mobile cranes and five mobile construction cranes for lifting operations, including two Liebherr MK 88-4.1 models. In the company’s other divisions, transport, industrial relocations, and storage numerous escort vehicles, truck-mounted cranes, mini crawler cranes, aerial work platforms, forklifts, and various special trailers are in use.
About Affolter Transporte AG
Affolter Transporte AG is a family-owned Swiss crane, transport, and logistics specialist headquartered in Schüpfen, Canton of Bern. Led by brothers Ernst and Rudolf Affolter, the company employs approximately 45 professionals and operates across four locations in the cantons of Bern and Aargau.
Affolter provides a comprehensive range of services, including:
Mobile and mobile construction crane operations
Heavy and special transport
Industrial relocations
Storage and logistics solutions
The company’s modern fleet features 100% Liebherr equipment, including mobile cranes, mobile construction cranes, and city cranes—among them multiple MK 88-4.1 models. Beyond crane operations, Affolter operates escort vehicles, truck-mounted cranes, mini crawler cranes, aerial work platforms, forklifts, and specialized trailers.
Affolter is widely recognized for its expertise in infrastructure projects, particularly those requiring night operations, precision lifting, and complex logistics, such as bridge construction, motorway works, and environmentally focused projects like wildlife crossings.
Learn More: 🔗 https://www.affoltertransporte.ch/
About Liebherr Mobile Cranes
Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mobile and crawler cranes, forming a core part of the globally active Liebherr Group. Based in Ehingen (Donau), Germany, the facility employs approximately 5,000 people and serves customers worldwide through an extensive international service network.
Liebherr’s mobile crane portfolio ranges from 35-tonne two-axle cranes to heavy-duty models with lifting capacities of up to 1,200 tonnes on nine axles. The company’s cranes are widely used in:
Infrastructure and bridge construction
Transportation and logistics
Energy and renewable projects
Industrial assembly and heavy lifting
Known for engineering precision, advanced safety systems, and high reliability, Liebherr mobile cranes are trusted for demanding projects requiring tight scheduling, high accuracy, and minimal disruption, such as motorway night work and large-scale public infrastructure developments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cranes were involved in the wildlife bridge installation?
The project relied on a coordinated multi-crane operation using four Liebherr cranes. Each crane had a defined role in transport, staging, installation, and finishing work to ensure the project was completed safely and within strict overnight motorway closure windows.
Which crane was responsible for installing the main timber beams?
The Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 served as the primary installation crane. With its six-axle configuration and strong load charts, it lifted and placed curved timber beams weighing up to 20 tonnes at radii of up to 25 metres, spanning all four motorway lanes without intermediate supports.
What roles did the other cranes perform?
A Liebherr LTM 1100-5.1 loaded the 38-metre-long timber beams onto heavy transport trailers at the off-site storage location.
A Liebherr LTM 1160-5.2 unloaded the beams at the construction site and positioned them vertically into a holding frame for final installation.
A Liebherr EC-B top-slewing tower crane installed the cover plates once the main timber structure was completed.
Why was a multi-crane strategy necessary?
The extremely tight motorway closure window 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. left no margin for delays. By dividing tasks across multiple cranes, Affolter ensured a continuous workflow, minimized downtime, and kept motorway disruption to an absolute minimum.
What made this wildlife bridge project technically challenging?
Challenges included:
Night-only working hours
Large, curved timber beams measuring 38 metres long
Precision placement over active motorway lanes
Complex logistics involving synchronized transport, staging, and lifting
Each factor required detailed lift planning, precise timing, and highly experienced crane operators.
Why are Liebherr mobile cranes commonly used for infrastructure projects like this?
Liebherr mobile cranes are known for:
High lifting capacity with compact footprints
Fast setup and teardown
Advanced control systems for precise positioning
Proven reliability in time-critical and safety-sensitive environments
These characteristics make them especially well suited for bridge construction, night work, and projects involving live traffic corridors.
