Dresden has a new bridge problem

The city of Dresden wants to shore up the dilapidated Budapester Straße bridge with emergency piers to give itself ten years to continue operating it (archive photo). / Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa

Costs more than 100 million euros high

According to bridge expert Steffen Marx, the cost of rebuilding the Budapester Straße bridge is in the same order of magnitude as the Carola Bridge, which partially collapsed in 2024 and was then demolished. It is to be rebuilt from May 2028 and will cost 140 million euros. As railroad tracks would have to be bridged in the new case, this is a very complex construction project with costs in excess of 100 million euros, emphasized Marx. He put the costs for the shoring at a "high single-digit to low double-digit million euro amount."

Budapester Straße bridge one of the most important traffic arteries

The Budapester Straße bridge is one of the most important traffic arteries in Dresden. It was built before the Carola Bridge using the same prestressed concrete construction method. After the partial collapse of the Elbe bridge, the other bridge structures in Dresden and throughout Saxony were also scrutinized. Among other things, sound sensors were installed. On 8 May, traffic on the bridge in Dresden was restricted to one lane in each direction and vehicles up to 7.5 tons. Nevertheless, 40-ton trucks continued to drive over the bridge, it was said. It was not possible to monitor the bridge around the clock.

Bridge would have collapsed if traffic had continued

When new signs of damage became known, the city pulled the emergency brake and paralyzed traffic on the bridge on 13 May. If traffic had been allowed to continue, the structure would have collapsed, Marx stated unequivocally. The bridge area over the railroad tracks was safe.

Plan for new construction of the Carola Bridge in place

At the same time, the city presented the next steps for the new construction of the Carola Bridge. The four commissioned planning offices have to submit their designs next Tuesday. The city's citizens are to be involved from June 13. They can submit them via an online format called "carolaVOTE".

When the city council decides on the draft on September 3, however, it does not have to take into account the vote of the citizens or the recommendations of an international commission of experts. Dresden's mayor for construction, Stephan Kühn (Greens), made it clear that the city council is free to make its own decision.

Kühn cannot imagine that all four drafts will be rejected by the experts. However, a "further qualification" of the designs could be commissioned by the city council. According to current plans, the bridge should then be rebuilt from May 2028 and completed in 2031.

Dresden has a new bridge problem

Costs more than 100 million euros high

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