The Carola Bridge in Dresden is to be completely demolished by the end of September. This means that the work is progressing faster than expected and is two months ahead of schedule, according to the city administration.
After the demolition, the banks of the terrace are to be cleared and restored. The work should then be completed in October, it said. According to the city, the estimated costs of up to 18 million euros will not be exceeded.
"I can only take my hat off to the performance of the builders. The speed with which they have mastered this unusual demolition under difficult conditions in recent weeks deserves the utmost respect," explained Dresden's Lord Mayor Dirk Hilbert (FDP), also with a view to the high temperatures of the last few days. Thousands of tons of concrete have been removed so far.
Channel clear for ships by mid-August
The priority now is to clear the channel for ships on the Elbe. Up to ten excavators are being used for this work alone so that ships can pass through the area again soon. This work is expected to continue until the end of next week. The fairway is expected to be cleared by mid-August.
Prior to this, measurements and an assessment will be carried out to identify potential hazards for shipping. Once the measurement results have been evaluated, a decision will be made on the conditions under which the navigation channel can be opened and the extent to which the Elbe riverbed needs to be restored.
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