Demolition of the Carola Bridge in Dresden: Major construction site starts Thursday!

Demolition of the Carola Bridge in Dresden: Major construction site starts Thursday!

In Dresden, the Carola Bridge has been demolished for a few weeks after a section of around 100 meters suddenly fell into the Elbe in September 2024. This happened on the night of September 11th, and fortunately there were no injuries. However, there is great concern and acute danger as the area remains unstable. The bridge, which was inaugurated in 1971 and represents an important connection between the old town and the new town, has been closed to all traffic since then. To remove the remains of the bridge, the city and the responsible authorities have initiated comprehensive measures, such as Süddeutsche Newspaper reported.

The demolition of the still standing train A of the bridge will begin this Thursday, and will be done with heavy equipment: two large excavators, including a 120-ton long-arm excavator with an impressive 40-meter arm, are ready. You will first remove the asphalt and structural concrete of the roadway slab to expose the tension wires underneath. The steel wires are then cut until the bridge part finally falls off the bridge. This fall technique does not fall from the sky; rather, it is implemented with a well-thought-out fall cushion made from around 13,000 tons of material such as hydraulic stones and empty pipes.

Logistical masterpiece

Train B is demolished using the same procedure. During this work, which is expected to last until the end of the year, up to ten excavators will be used to recover the debris. The fallen parts are loaded onto trucks and tractors. Up to five trucks and 25 employees are constantly on standby to ensure that the demolition goes smoothly.

The Elbe remains closed to shipping and boat traffic during this time, while shipping up and down the river remains possible. The ongoing work requires lower traffic restrictions: the entire area around the Carola Bridge and the Elbe Cycle Path will be strictly cordoned off. The city administration has ordered monitoring of the remaining bridge structures as a safety measure, as further sagging cannot be ruled out.

A look at the bridge infrastructure

Bridges like the Carola Bridge are part of an extensive network and play a central role in Germany's transport system. There are currently around 39,500 bridges in the federal highway network, which have a total length of over 2,100 km, which roughly corresponds to the distance from Flensburg to Naples. A large part of these bridges, including the Carola Bridge, were built between 1965 and 1985 and are now in a critical condition, leading to numerous modernizations and demolition projects, as BMVI highlights.

The collapse of the Carola Bridge is symptomatic of the challenges that many of these structures face today. While the repair of the damage progresses, the focus of the emergency services is clearly on limiting the damage and the safety of residents. The situation remains tense for the people of Dresden, as the bridge not only represents an important traffic artery, but also embodies a piece of the city's history.