BZ reporter as a road builder. She helped out on a construction site for the Dalhoff company in Köpenick. Photo: Olaf Selchow
By Sara Orlos Fernandes
BZ reporter Sara Orlos Fernandes tries her hand at road construction. At the Dahlhoff company, she lends a hand on a construction site in Köpenick.
At 7 a.m. in the middle of Köpenick, a shovel shook a shovel into a semi-trailer truck, making a loud noise as rocks rolled in with a loud roar. The road is being renewed on Parrisiusstraße near the S-Bahn station. The old cobblestones have to go, the ground is removed and covered with gravel – only then can the asphalt be laid on it.
In the first week of construction, the paving stones must be removed. Where the excavator is not allowed to go, the giant stones have to be levered out by hand. “Near the tree, the danger is too great that we will hit a root with the excavator,” explains foreman Hannes Männel (35).
In order not to damage the roots of the tree, the paving stones are levered out of the ground with a crowbar. Photo: Olaf Selchow
I get my hands on a crowbar and hammer the tool into the small gaps between the stones. Then they are pried out. After a few tries it works and is even fun, even if the sweat is dripping from your forehead.
A 50 centimeter wide strip of granite mosaic paving also had to be loosened on the sidewalk. Here, too, I can lend a hand. With a spade fork I dig under the stuck stones and loosen them from the ground. After only six meters it’s over, the lower back hurts.
Control with a ruler: I have to clear a strip of cobblestones 50 centimeters wide on the sidewalk Photo: Olaf Selchow
After the last load of paving stones has been loaded into the truck, we have breakfast together on the construction site. It’s ten o’clock and for some workers it’s the first meal of the day. In the small container at the common table there are self-made sandwiches, beer sausage and canned herring. Plus a full load of coffee, cola and energy drinks.
Finally a break: we have breakfast together in the container. Photo: Olaf Selchow
After the short breather, we continue, the excavator rolls again and cobblestones are heaved out.