Future of the closed Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau unclear

The closure of another Elbe bridge is putting the population and economy in the Elbe valley to the test. It is unclear when and to what extent the bridge on federal road 172 in Bad Schandau in Saxon Switzerland can be used in future. Further investigations should bring clarity by the end of the year. Until then, the bridge will remain closed - for cars, buses, pedestrians and cyclists as well as ambulances. Like the Carola Bridge, the structure is made of prestressed concrete.

The bridge was closed on Wednesday. This decision was very spontaneous for the residents and businesses in Bad Schandau, admitted Stephan Berger, Head of the Mobility Department at the Saxon Ministry of Transport. The results of a special inspection following the partial collapse of Dresden's Carola Bridge had revealed an acute need for action in Bad Schandau. The time until the end of the year will now be used for in-depth investigations.

A total of 20 bridge structures in Saxony are in focus

According to Berger, in addition to the Carola Bridge in Saxony, a further 19 bridges are in focus and are now being examined separately. This concerns bridges of a similar design - so-called prestressed concrete bridges in which Hennigsdorf prestressing steel was used. It is considered susceptible to corrosion. In Bad Schandau, the bridge will now be inspected and samples will be taken to determine whether there is any further damage. The bridge has what is known as an under-tensioning band, where longitudinal cracks have occurred.

According to Lars Roßmann, head of department at the State Office for Road Construction and Transport, it is not yet possible to say whether the bridge can be repaired and in what form it can be used in the future. The underlay cannot simply be replaced in its entirety. "It was necessary to close the bridge completely". It was last inspected in 2023.

No traffic chaos so far

At first, there were fears of traffic chaos. Many residents of Bad Schandau drive or cycle across the bridge to the train station every morning to catch the S-Bahn to Dresden. On day 1 after the bridge was closed, however, the transfer went relatively smoothly. A second ferry was set up to take people across the Elbe. The ferries run every 15 minutes and operate from 4.30 am to 10.30 pm.

Additional costs for regional transport must be regulated

There is still no solution for passengers on night trains that arrive later. Regional transport has distributed half of its bus fleet on each side of the Elbe and serves all routes - only the section on the bridge is missing. There are now double the costs, said a representative of regional transport. The question arose as to who would bear these costs, the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains as the responsible authority could not. After all, it is a federal road. Berger promised a solution.

Ministry thanks citizens for their understanding: safety first

In the meantime, an ambulance has also been positioned on the other side of the Elbe from Bad Schandau in order to be more flexible and avoid delays in an emergency. Jens Jungmann, spokesman for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, thanked the residents for their understanding: "It's going to be a stressful few weeks for the people on site." They are doing their best to resolve the problem quickly. We will see whether there is a quick solution. Safety and human lives would come first.