The Dahlhausen floating bridge is an important traffic route in the south of Bochum and at the same time a bottleneck. It connects Bochum-Dahlhausen with the Essen district of Burgaltendorf, south of the Ruhr.
Until the 20th century, the Ruhr represented one of the largest traffic obstacles in the Ruhr area. With the bridge on Bochumer Straße (B 51) in Hattingen, which was already documented in the early modern period and was last adapted to the needs of traffic in 1870, there was only one in the Bochum area Road connection. There were also three railway bridges at the Henrichshütte, below the road bridge and in the area of today's railway museum. Pedestrians had to rely on ferries, such as the “Old Ferry” below Blankenstein Castle, or had to take long detours. The situation only eased at the end of the 19th century, when the first pontoon bridge was built in Dahlhausen. It was badly damaged by the bombing of the Möhne Dam in May 1943 and was only temporarily rebuilt. In 1958/59, today's floating bridge replaced the inadequate construction in the age of mass motorization.
The 89.4 meter long, 146.8 tonne, three-span bridge rests on pontoons instead of bridge piers. Depending on the water level, it changes its altitude. Its southern part can be swung out using cable winches so that ships can pass over the bridge. During floods it is closed for safety reasons. Road traffic over the single-lane bridge is regulated by traffic lights and has been severely restricted since 2011 due to weight restrictions.