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New construction of the Carola Bridge: The creative competition begins at the end of 2025!
Dresden is planning to build the new Carola Bridge by 2031. Costs and traffic routing are causing controversy and public discussions.
New construction of the Carola Bridge: The creative competition begins at the end of 2025!
The city of Dresden is facing a significant new construction project: After the tragic collapse of the Carola Bridge in September 2024, the plans for the new bridge are now finalized. Loud MDR A year after the accident, a lot has already happened. The old bridge was completely demolished, leaving only rubble between the banks of the Elbe.
The new design will provide four lanes for motorized traffic and also integrate cycle and pedestrian paths. This means a clear “yes” to mobility in the city, even if the width of the planned bridge of 41 meters, which is significantly superior to the bridge structure built in 1971, is controversial in politics. Critics, including the SPD, the Greens and the Left, speak of a “motorway-like” expansion and fear that the dimensions are not in line with the declining car traffic, which could potentially lead to an explosion in costs.
Costs and planning
The total cost of demolishing the old bridge is around 32 million euros, which is significantly higher than the original estimates. The demolition of the three bridges alone cost around 27 million euros, while another five million are planned for safety measures and traffic management, reports Traffic review. The city council will decide on the award of the contracts at a meeting scheduled for December 2025.
The city of Dresden's double budget has already earmarked 170 million euros for the new building, with the city hoping for funding of 35 million euros. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2028, with completion by 2031.
Public discussion and environmental protection
A monitoring committee that brings together representatives from politics, business, the environment and the transport sector is intended to ensure that all voices are heard and public discourse is promoted. In this context, public discussions about the drafts are planned for May 2026. The city administration wants to regularly inform citizens about the progress of the project in order to ensure transparency.
In addition to the technical aspects, it is also important to mention that the new construction method is attracting increasing attention. Innovative approaches such as the modular system for bridges developed by engineer Theo Reddemann could also be used in Dresden. Such systems significantly reduce on-site construction time and minimize CO2 emissions during the construction phase, which is of great importance to many companies in the region, such as ZDF reported.
In the midst of these challenges and opportunities, it remains clear: the new construction of the Carola Bridge will not only change the city's infrastructure, but will also have a decisive influence on the discourse on transport, the environment and urban development.