Who is financing the new construction of the dilapidated Wismar high bridge?

Who is financing the new construction of the dilapidated Wismar high bridge?

The Wismar High Bridge is increasingly becoming the city's problem child. Current inspections show that the bridge is considered dilapidated due to static deficits and urgently needs to be replaced with a new building. The situation is delicate because basic repairs in 2004 could only ensure that the bridge remained passable for a limited time. It is currently assumed that the remaining useful life will be less than ten years, which makes planning a replacement building all the more urgent. As ndr.de reports, the construction costs for the new building are estimated at an impressive 23 million euros, but the financing remains unclear.

Thomas Beyer, the mayor of Wismar, has already initiated discussions about financing the sidewalk. However, there are no rumors about financial commitments, and both the city of Wismar and the institutions involved are holding back information. The Railway Crossing Act also obliges the railway to finance parts of the construction work, which could provide valuable support. Coordination is currently underway between the road construction authority and the railway.

Transport infrastructure and responsibility

The Wismar high bridge plays a central role in the regional transport infrastructure as it represents state road 12 and connects the city center with the eastern road network. However, the bridge has been subject to load restrictions since 2011 and the number of lanes was reduced in 2012. The bridge is subject to shortened inspection intervals and important areas must be examined annually during special inspections. Surprisingly, the high bridge was identified as the most dilapidated in the country and according to the report it will be viable until 2032, but with massive restrictions.

The need to renovate the Wismar high bridge is all the more in the spotlight. This need is part of a larger problem: many of the 43 bridges in the region are in need of renovation, and the IHK has called on politicians to finally act. All of this is happening against the background of a nationwide bridge modernization program that aims to maintain and secure existing bridges in Germany. According to bmv.de, around 40,300 bridges in Germany are affected by the efforts, which are intended in particular to ensure the traffic safety and load-bearing capacity of the structures, which were often built in the 1960s and 1980s.

Future of the high bridge

The planning approval process for the new construction of the high bridge is already underway, but the exact date for the public display of the documents is still pending. In April 2021, the decision was made for a preferred variant of 13 possible designs, which marks the progress of the project. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding funding remains, forcing the city and its mayors to seek creative solutions to secure the necessary funds.

The bridge is regularly inspected from Tuesday to Friday, which may also lead to possible traffic restrictions. If the construction of the replacement building is approved, the state plans to give the starting signal for the construction work by the end of the year. But until then it remains to be seen how the various players – city, state and railway – will play their cards. Because such an important infrastructure measure requires a good hand and clear communication between everyone involved.