Trough Bridge Near Grimma Blasted

The old trough bridge on Highway 14 near Grimma has been demolished. “As far as we can tell, everything went according to plan,” said Michael Zarth, spokesperson for the highway construction company Deges, when asked. Footage from the company showed how the large section of the bridge collapsed after the detonation.

Prior to this, the A 14 between the Grimma and Mutzschen interchanges had been completely closed in both directions from 9:30 a.m. until approximately 3:00 p.m. In addition, a safety zone was established within a 300-meter radius of the bridge, which was cordoned off by police. A ban on drone flights was also in effect.

The Deges spokesperson emphasized that the cordoned-off area would be lifted as soon as the demolition expert had inspected the site of the blast. However, before traffic can resume on the A14, the temporary structure standing just a few meters from the demolished bridge must be inspected. The highway is expected to reopen around 3:00 p.m. After the collapse, the bridge sections will be crushed, separated, and removed. The steel and concrete are to be largely recycled.

According to reports, the condition of the old structure, built in the 1970s, had deteriorated significantly due to increasing traffic. For this reason, it is being replaced by a new bridge. Since August, all highway traffic has been routed entirely over a temporary bridge. After the old bridge is demolished, a new bridge is to be built in its place. It is scheduled to be completed in 2029.