Industry calls for rapid replacement of Carola Bridge

Ahead of the decisive city council meeting, several business associations are backing the plans to build a replacement for Dresden's partially collapsed Carola Bridge. According to Jörg Dittrich, President of the Dresden Chamber of Crafts, the business community believes that the city council has a responsibility to set the right course now.

Business demands decision before summer break

He called for a decision on the reconstruction of the Carola Bridge as a replacement before the summer break. The tender should be prepared and published immediately afterwards. "Any further loss of time is unacceptable - both in terms of construction prices and project costs as well as in terms of trust and the state capital's ability to act," added Andreas Sperl, President of the Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).

According to the state capital, a new replacement could be completed three to six years earlier than a completely new bridge. Adjustments such as wider cycle paths, a reduction in the number of lanes for car traffic or a construction method with two instead of three bridge sections would be possible with this variant. The city council is responsible for deciding on a new replacement. The vote is planned for the next meeting on June 19.

Open letter before decision in the city council

In an open letter, the Chamber of Crafts and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce call for swift action. The city's economic performance depends to a large extent on a functioning, resilient infrastructure. A new replacement, which can be implemented without a costly planning approval procedure, would be the quickest way to get traffic flowing again. The open letter was also signed by the Saxony Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga), the Dresden Taxi Cooperative and the Saxony Trade Association, among others.