Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer said at the Dresden CDU's New Year's reception in the Ballsportarena on 9 January 2025 that he wanted to rebuild the Carola Bridge, which partially collapsed in September 2024, within two years. In front of hundreds of guests, he said: "Contractors would laugh their heads off that this project should take five years."
The Carola Bridge, the most important crossing over the Elbe in the state capital of Dresden, partially collapsed on the night of September 11, 2024. An approximately 100-metre-long section of bridge C collapsed into the Elbe, fortunately without any personal injury.
Investigations revealed that stress corrosion cracking was the main cause of the collapse. An expert opinion confirmed that the entire bridge, including the already renovated bridge sections A and B, must be demolished.
The planned speedy reconstruction of the bridge is of great importance to the people of Dresden, as the Carola Bridge plays a central role in the city's transport network. The failure of the bridge has led to considerable traffic disruptions and placed a heavy burden on the city's infrastructure.
