Damage inflicted on Forest Castle Bridge initially reported

Dresden's Waldschlösschen Bridge Faces Ongoing Legal and Structural Challenges

Nine years have passed since the Federal Administrative Court ruled that the plan approval decision for the construction of Dresden's Waldschlösschen Bridge was illegal. Despite this, the bridge, which cost approximately 180 million euros and is the most expensive Elbe bridge in Germany to date, continues to face significant challenges.

Recent discoveries have revealed damage to the bridge, including cracks in various areas such as the base plate of the superstructure, the substructure, the abutments, wing walls, and arch foundations. The weathered parts of the pedestrian path and open joints and spalls in the roadway are also cause for concern.

Left city councillor André Schollbach has expressed his concern about the long duration of the procedure for the Waldschlösschen Bridge, stating that it does not bode well for a potential plan approval procedure for the rebuilding of the Carolabridge. He also mentioned that the state of legal uncertainty for the Waldschlösschen Bridge continues, with no valid plan approval decision in place since the court's ruling in 2016.

In response to these issues, the city administration has been instructed by the court to conduct a supplementary procedure to remedy the identified defects in the plan approval decision for the construction of the Waldschlösschen Bridge. However, they cannot provide a timeframe for the completion of the procedure.

The city administration has spent 242,000 euros on preparing documents for the plan approval procedure for the Waldschlösschen Bridge. The current status of the planning approval process for the restoration of the Waldschlösschen bridgehead is that the procedures are still ongoing, with public consultations and environmental assessments being conducted.

The long-standing issue with the plan approval decision for the Waldschlösschen Bridge has been highlighted by Schollbach as a potential concern for future infrastructure projects in Dresden. He stated that there is still no prospect of legalization for the Waldschlösschen Bridge. The Left party discovered the damage to the bridge through a council inquiry.

The damage discovered on the Waldschlösschen Bridge could potentially become problematic, and Schollbach has warned that the bridge may serve as a cautionary tale for future infrastructure projects in the city. As the bridge continues to face legal and structural challenges, it remains unclear when or if it will be restored to its intended state.