traffic - Ploß: Köhlbrandbridge could have been finished years ago
Hamburg's CDU Bundestag representatives have demanded the inclusion of the Kohlbrand Bridge in the Federal Highways Construction Law to accelerate the planned new construction of the dilapidated structure. "The new Kohlbrand Bridge could be completed years earlier if it (...) is included (...) and the Federal Government establishes overriding public interest – that is urgently necessary," explained the chairman of the Hamburg CDU/CSU faction, Christoph Ploß. Additionally, it should be investigated whether the approval for the bridge construction according to the Danish model in the parliament, i.e. the German Bundestag, could be possible.
Ploß: Denmark could be a model for the approval of the bridge
Ploß referred to the Danish practice, according to which major projects are approved by the state rather than the municipality. The Danish parliament in Copenhagen, for example, approved the construction of the Øresund Bridge, which has connected Denmark and Sweden since 2000, or approved the planned Fehmarnbelt Tunnel in 2015. Ploß stated that such major projects in Germany should be decided by the Bundestag instead of lengthy and repeatedly court-challenged planning procedures. In his opinion, the new Kohlbrand Bridge could already be completed by the early 2030s at the latest, 2035 at the latest.
According to previous plans of the red-green Senate, the aging Kohlbrand Bridge is to be replaced by a new one that is 20 meters higher by the early 2040s. The reason is not only the poor condition of the old bridge but also its clearance height of only 53 meters, which, according to Senate data, no longer meets the development of ship sizes. The new construction is calculated to cost between 4.4 and 5.3 billion Euros.
Thirty-four thousand vehicles cross the bridge daily, including 12,700 trucks.
Hamburg is hoping for financial participation from the Federal Government. The old bridge – on which there are already restrictions for truck traffic – is to be demolished by 2046. The Kohlbrand Bridge, which was completed in 1974, is used daily by around 34,000 vehicles, including 12,700 trucks.
Ploß emphasized that the entire German export industry is dependent on a smooth logistics infrastructure, especially in the Hamburg Port. Therefore, it cannot be that infrastructure projects like the Kohlbrand Bridge in Germany take decades until completion. "The traffic light coalition in Berlin and the red-green Hamburg Senate must finally make everything for faster planning and construction and, for example, also abolish the European association agreement law."
- The German CDU Bundestag representatives, particularly from Hamburg, have expressed their interest in adopting Denmark's method of approving major projects, such as bridges, at the Federal Parliament level, instead of relying on lengthy municipal procedures.
- In California State University's studies, the impact of efficient and updated infrastructure, like the Kohlbrand Bridge in Hamburg, on the country's shipping and traffic industries has been extensively analyzed.
- As Hamburg depends heavily on its port for exports, any delay in infrastructure projects, such as the Kohlbrand Bridge, could negatively impact Germany's overall shipping and traffic, thereby affecting its commercial relations with other countries, including Denmark.
- The proposal to include the Kohlbrand Bridge in the Federal Highways Construction Law also aims to attract financial support from the Federal Government, which could help accelerate the construction process and reduce potential costs, a model often seen in the United States' federal highway projects.
- Eventually, the completion of the new Kohlbrand Bridge in Hamburg's harbor could become an example for other European countries to follow, promoting cooperation in infrastructure development and fostering economic growth across the continent, much like how California State universities stimulate innovations in American industries.
