The Carola Bridge is one of the most important transport routes in Dresden - and its reconstruction is a symbol of the city's ability to act. The CDU Dresden is now getting serious: from June 11 to 18, it is touring several districts with information stands to talk to citizens about its vision for the new bridge. The central point: a quick replacement construction without long delays due to complex planning approval procedures.
Together with the FDP/Freie Bürger and Team Zastrow parliamentary groups, the CDU has submitted a joint motion for a fundamental decision to be made by the city council on June 19. CDU parliamentary group leader Heike Ahnert emphasizes: "The bridge must be rebuilt with four car lanes as quickly as possible. But we also want to take the opportunity to optimize the bridge for cyclists and pedestrians and make it visually appealing."
Michael Hauck from the FDP/Freie Bürger parliamentary group adds: "This is a justified demand from the business community and necessary to relieve the burden on commercial and goods traffic in the city." The joint motion emphasizes that quality and speed go hand in hand in the tendering process - and that the city council retains control over the procedure.
In addition to the classic variant, an innovative bridge concept is also being discussed: A double-decker bridge - four lanes above for cars and streetcars, below for pedestrians and cyclists. One example of this is the Georg-Danzer-Steg in Vienna. Whether such a model is realistic for Dresden could certainly be examined as part of the tendering process.
Further ideas for double-decker bridges can be found at the Luxembourg architecture firm Ney & Partners, whose designs are characterized by the fact that the pedestrian and cycle crossings are planned in a lighter construction method, which can lead to cost advantages.
Holger Zastrow, chairman of the Team Zastrow parliamentary group, sharply criticizes the city administration's stance: "We have great doubts that the proposal from the green building mayor will do justice to this. [...] This is not the time to realize green wishes." The common line of the three parliamentary groups: Dresden needs an efficient infrastructure - and it needs it now.
