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The Köhlbrand Bridge in Hamburg: Coordination between the economic and environmental authorities is difficult

Photo: Christian Charisius / dpa

It is only around 50 years old and is already considered a “technical and economic total loss”: The red-green Hamburg Senate wanted to decide on the future of the Köhlbrand Bridge, but nothing will come of it for the time being. Contrary to original plans, there will be no resolution at this Tuesday's meeting on a printed matter to replace the aging Köhlbrand Bridge, Senate circles said. The state press conference, at which the plans were supposed to have been presented at midday, was also canceled.

The so-called coordination between the authorities between the leading economic authority of Senator Melanie Leonhard (SPD) and the environmental authority of Senator Jens Kerstan (Greens) is proving difficult, according to the dpa news agency.

First, final feedback would have to be incorporated as part of the coordination of the printed matter, "so that the Senate can quickly deal with a carefully coordinated basis," said Leonhard's spokesman Martin Helfrich. "The Senator for Economic Affairs represents both the port industry's interest in a quickly clarified perspective for a new crossing and the goal of enabling everyone involved to make an informed and thoroughly prepared decision." Accordingly, the Senate will not vote on the new Köhlbrand crossing until next week at the earliest .

A decision was expected to build a new bridge, which at 4.5 to 5 billion euros would be cheaper than the tunnel solution long favored by the Senate. The bridge, which was completed in 1974 and is important for the port, is used by around 38,000 vehicles every day, including many trucks.

As early as 2012, current Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), in his former role as mayor of Hamburg, declared that the bridge should be demolished and replaced by a new building. Since 2012, there has also been a ban on overtaking trucks in order to protect the bridge, which is in need of renovation.

The Köhlbrand Bridge is due to be replaced by 2036 due to overload and continued damage.

eru/dpa