Bridge on Damaschkeplatz: About what for Magdeburg?

Bridge on Damaschkeplatz: About what for Magdeburg?

Magdeburg, Deutschland - The city of Magdeburg is currently faced with a massive infrastructural problem. The ring bridge over the Damaschkeplatz was demolished due to considerable damage after numerous cracks on the tension members were found during a special test in spring 2025. Experts rated the condition of the bridge as critical, a repair was no longer possible. The demolition began on June 16 and should be completed by June 28, 2025, such as MDR reported.

What are the next steps? In order to maintain the flow of traffic, the city plans to build a makeshift bridge, which is to be built in June 2025. This is placed on the adapted substructure of the demolished bridge and is said to have a width of 3.50 meters and a total length of around 70 meters. On June 19, the city council will decide on the allocation of the makeshift bridge. Preparations for the construction will start on June 23, so that the makeshift bridge should be accessible in both directions from the beginning of August 2025.

costs and transport adjustments

A look at the finances: The demolition costs for the ailing bridge are around 564,000 euros. For the new building, the city expects at least ten million euros. A total of between 100 and 150 million euros could be necessary for the replacement of other bridges in the region, which indicates the large renovation backlog near bridges in Germany. According to an evaluation of T-Online are around 16,000 bridges in a federal hand, with an estimated investment requirement of up to 100 billion euros For the replacement building.

For drivers, there are current diversions via Autobahn 14, while cyclists and pedestrians can use alternative routes across the bridge in the Glacis systems or Albert-Vater-Straße. In addition, five tram lines of the Magdeburg Verkehrsbetriebe (MVB) are diverted, which led to an increase in passenger numbers.

The view of other bridges

The problem of the dilapidated bridges is not limited to Magdeburg. Many bridges are in poor condition all over Germany. A partial fall of the Dresden Carol Bridge recently drawn attention to this problem. Experts such as the bridge expert Martin Mertens require extensive investments in the infrastructure, since many bridges, especially those built before 1980, are considered so -called "problem patients". The German Association of Cities and Municipalities is calling for an “Investmenting Offensive Infrastructure”, since the municipalities often lack the money for necessary renovations, as well as "https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innengolitung/debatte-bruecken-100.html"> Tagesschau

The Carol Bridge, which should also be renovated in the coming year, has shown how urgently the investments are necessary. Officials of the Ministry of Transport argue against the number of 16,000 dilapidated bridges, but the reality on site often looks different. The infrastructure is getting old and urgently needs a refreshment to remain safe and functional.

Overall, the cities are faced with the challenge of tackling these infrastructure problems and finding solutions to ensure the safety of all road users.