Dresden bridge collapse sparks urgent call for german renovations
7:33 AM EDT, September 13, 2024
After part of the Caroli Bridge in Dresden collapsed, experts are raising the alarm and calling for the renovation of 30,000 bridges across Germany. "All built before 1980 are our 'problematic patients'," said bridge specialist Martin Mertens from the University of Bochum to the RND portal.
A section of the Caroli Bridge, one of the most critical bridges in Dresden, collapsed into the Elbe River early Wednesday morning. No one was injured, but city authorities assessed that other parts of the structure were seriously at risk of collapsing. Initially, no one could provide the causes of this disaster. A section of the bridge, approximately 328 feet long, is currently in the river, and part of the bank remains closed.
According to the Deutsche Welle portal, the bridge's collapse is causing traffic chaos in the city.
After this incident, the German Construction Industry Association called for the renovation of German bridges to be the highest priority, RND reported. Bridge specialist Martin Mertens from the University of Bochum assessed that "all major bridges built in Germany before 1980 are 'problematic patients'." He emphasized that politicians should react to the events in Dresden.
Dresden clearly shows that it is five past twelve - Mertens told the RND editorial team.
The German Association of Cities and Municipalities also called on the federal government and state authorities to start an "investment offensive" for infrastructure. It is estimated that half of the 60,000 bridges owned by local authorities are not in good condition and need renovation, RND reports. Municipalities have investment backlogs in infrastructure amounting to 186 billion euros.
The likely cause of the disaster is corrosion
The Caroli Bridge in Dresden is a pre-stressed concrete bridge built in 1971. Its two parts, A and B, have been renovated in recent years. The last section, C, which collapsed, was to be renovated next year. The causes of the collapse are still being investigated. Preliminary findings indicate that corrosion, caused by poor bridge maintenance in the past, was to blame, reported the weekly "Die Zeit."
The German Meteorological Service (DWD) worries that part of the bridge is still in the river. Heavy rains are expected to hit this region of Germany. Precipitation in the border region of Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria could affect the rise in water levels in the Elbe, warns the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
