Too heavy for bridge? - Police check in Bad Schandau

The police are checking the Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau to see whether vehicles exceed the weight limit of 7.5 tons. The intensive checks this week are intended to prevent overly heavy vehicles from driving over the damaged bridge, said the head of Pirna police station, Philipp Albrecht.

In the past, there had been indications that heavily laden vehicles were also repeatedly using the Elbe crossing in Bad Schandau. This is not permitted due to the damage to the prestressed concrete structure. Trucks and buses weighing over 7.5 tons have to take a detour.

"The problem is, of course, that if vehicles weighing over 7.5 tons drive over the bridge, there is a risk that the bridge will be further damaged, which could ultimately lead to the bridge being closed to all vehicles," said police officer Albrecht.

Bridge was fully closed for months

Bad Schandau residents and visitors to the region have had to live with this full closure since November. This had led to traffic problems because people had to take a long detour. Following load tests, the bridge was reopened in April for cars and trucks up to 7.5 tons as well as cyclists and pedestrians.

Controls to continue

The intensive controls on the Elbe bridge will continue until Friday. But even after that, the police will continue to keep an eye on the bridge and check "selectively" whether the weight limit is being violated, said Albrecht.

The bridge in Bad Schandau, like the collapsed Carola Bridge in Dresden, is made of Henningsdorf prestressing steel. It could therefore be similarly at risk of so-called stress corrosion cracking, which is said to have caused the collapse in Dresden. In the medium term, a new replacement structure is to be built in Bad Schadau.