Industry and trade in the Saxon state capital are urging the rapid demolition of the destroyed Carola Bridge and a quick replacement with the usual capacity at the same location. In an open letter to the city administration and city council, the associations of industry, trade, hotels and restaurants as well as the cab, transport and service sectors demand that work on the new bridge must begin "in the second quarter of 2026 at the latest". "We need a clear and ambitious perspective for the reconstruction!"
The western traffic line of the Carola Bridge collapsed unexpectedly on the night of 11 September 2024 over a length of around 100 meters. Since then, the two remaining trains of the pre-stressed reinforced concrete structure from the GDR era have been closed. The destroyed section of the Elbe crossing and important north-south link, which is also crossed by a federal highway, has been undergoing demolition for weeks.
"Significant detours and additional emissions"
The removal of this arterial road, which carries 30,000 vehicles per day, will have a massive impact on mobility in the city, argue the heads of the association. They referred to "considerable detours, gridlocked traffic, congestion, additional emissions and an increased risk of accidents." For businesses, this means longer journey times, higher costs, disrupted supply chains and much more.
Dresden must have this central transport link back as quickly as possible, the letter states. The key demands are to remove the remains of the bridge as quickly as possible, to plan the new replacement "pragmatically and functionally", to avoid design debates and to construct it in an economically efficient manner. "The decision for the new construction must not depend on a funding commitment from the federal government, as this is not to be expected in the near future."
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