Demolition of the Carola Bridge in the final stages

The demolition of the Carola Bridge in Dresden is almost complete. "We are in the final stages of demolition," said project manager Grit Ernst from the road and civil engineering office of the state capital. There is still one last pillar on the Neustadt side of the Elbe, which should be gone by the end of this week and the beginning of next week. The prestressed concrete bridge partially collapsed last September.

After the demolition work, the demolition waste still needs to be removed and the construction site cleared. It is difficult to estimate how long this will take. "But by the end of the year, i.e. before Christmas, it is quite likely that there will really be nothing left here," said Ernst.

Search for planner for new construction underway

A new bridge is to be built after this - the Elbe crossing is important for traffic in Dresden. However, it is still unclear when this will actually start. The search for a planner is currently underway, said Ernst. Construction is currently scheduled to begin in 2027.

It is also not yet certain when excursion steamers from the White Fleet or pleasure boats will be able to sail regularly on this part of the Elbe again. "We have been given the requirement by the Waterways and Shipping Authority to have cleared the Elbe by mid-August," said Ernst. Repairs to the bed of the Elbe are still necessary. The Water and Shipping Authority will ultimately decide on the release of the river.

"But we don't want to drag it out either," emphasized Ernst. They know how explosive it is. "We know that it is important for the White Fleet to be able to sail freely here again."

Demolition costs under 18 million euros

It is not yet possible to put a figure on how much the bridge demolition will ultimately cost. The contract with the demolition company is capped at 18 million euros. "We will not use up this 18 million. Definitely not," said Ernst.

One of the three strands of the Carola Bridge collapsed unexpectedly on the night of 11 September 2024 over a length of around 100 meters. There were no vehicles or people on the 1970s structure at the time, so no one was injured.