Council opts for replacing four-lane Carolabridge with a newer design
In a turn of events dating back nearly a year, a chunk of Dresden's bustling thoroughfare, the Carola Bridge, took an unfavorable turn and partially crumbled. Now, the cards have been dealt, and it's crystal clear what the new bridge will shape up to be.
After a heated debate lasting a solid two hours, Dresden's city council made the call to reconstruct the Carola Bridge as a four-lane marvel. The voting saw the factions AfD, CDU, FDP/Free Citizens, BSW, and Team Zastrow casting their votes in favor of this road-widening endeavor. In opposition stood the SPD, Greens, and Left party.
The construction blueprint, proposed by Dresden's mayor of construction, Kuhn, was also approved. This decision is expected to trim a time-consuming planning approval process, potentially speeding up the new bridge's completion by three to six years.
2025: A Year of Demolition and Removal
It all started on the dreadful night of September 11, 2024, when over a hundred meters of the western traffic lane on the Carola Bridge gave way unexpectedly. Demolition proceedings for the remaining parts kicked off last week. The goal is to clear away all remnants of the old structure by year's end.
Although the city had earlier suggested that Carola Bridge's rebuilding would commence in 2027, recent events from June 2025 hint at a possible alteration in the timeline[1]. As of mid-June, demolition work on the old bridge is vigorously underway, with dismantled sections now being prepared for further removal[2][4]. The bridge's unfortunate partial collapse in September 2024 led to interruptions in the demolition process due to structural issues detected in February 2025. However, these challenges are said to have been addressed as of early 2025[5].
So while the removal of the old structure is well underway in 2025, the expected beginning of the new four-lane Carola Bridge construction is still set for 2027, although a specific completion year has yet to be disclosed. Given the lengthy timescale usual for large infrastructure projects, finishing touches likely won't be added until the late 2020s[1][5].
Amidst the ongoing dismantling of the old Carola Bridge in 2025, local news and politics have been flushed with discussions about the construction timeline of the new four-lane bridge. Despite speculations of an earlier start during June 2025, the official date remains set for 2027, with whispers of a completion arriving in the late 2020s.
