Imagine 88 steel cables holding a bridge. This is not just any bridge. It is the Tiefstacker Brücke. The Tiefstacker Brücke is a vital part of Hamburg’s infrastructure. It is also an iconic landmark.
The Kölbrandbrücke is Hamburg’s second-longest road bridge. It was built in 1974. The bridge spans the Köhlbrand. It connects Steinwerder with Waltershof. The Tiefstacker Brücke has become a symbol of the Hanseatic city. Its robust design and sturdy charm appeal to Hamburgers.
Maintenance is vital. From 2014 to 2016, the Kölbrandbrücke underwent extensive renovations. It received a new asphalt surface. New road transitions were added. The road surface was renewed on both ramps. The basic renovation cost around 60 million euros. This made the “Köhlbrand” fit for the coming years.
Heavy traffic requires frequent maintenance. Traffic safety is the main focus. Closures are needed for maintenance.
The city has started planning a replacement. A new bridge is needed. It will have a clearance height of 73.5 meters. It should be open to traffic before 2040. The Hamburg Port Authority is in charge. The process of awarding, planning, and building has already begun.
The construction of the Kölbrandbrücke took about four years. On September 23, 1974, the first cars drove over the Tiefstacker Brücke.
In 1967, the Hamburg Senate considered a tunnel. It would have five tubes under the Elbe arm. One tube was for trains. Another was for pedestrians and cyclists. The tunnel was estimated to cost 255 million D-Mark.
In 1968, the Senate decided to build a cheaper bridge. It would cross the 325-meter-wide Köhlbrand. The architect, Egon Jux, planned two parallel bridges. But only the first phase was calculated. The Kattwyk-Hubbrücke was built for railway traffic. It is about three kilometers upstream. The Kölbrandbrücke took about four years to build. It cost 160 million Mark.
The architect Egon Jux and the civil engineer Paul Boué led the design. Eighty-eight steel cables connect the bridge. They connect the bridge box with the two 135-meter-high pylons. The gently rising structure seems to float. It floats above the harbor. The elegant silhouette of the Kölbrandbrücke earned praise. In 1975, it won the European Steel Construction Award.
Just four years after opening, the bridge had problems. In 1978 and 1979, all steel cables had to be replaced. They were rusty. The bridge carries more and more trucks. They transport goods between the port terminals.
On February 20, 1998, a Dutch floating crane hit the bridge. It tore a large hole in the bridge box. The stability was not at risk. But the repairs caused traffic chaos. The bridge was closed for weeks.
In 1999, the city celebrated the 25th anniversary. Federal President Scheel said it would become a landmark. The bridge has become a symbol of the city.
A 2008 study showed a new bridge will be more economical. This is if repairs continue at the same rate. A new bridge would be more cost-effective around 2030. This is regardless of load-bearing capacity.
In 2011, traffic was heavier than expected. The Hamburg Port Authority installed a scale. About 34,000 vehicles cross the Köhlbrand daily. About 13,000 are trucks. Since 2012, trucks cannot overtake. This reduces extreme loads.
In June 2012, the mayor announced the Kölbrandbrücke would be replaced. Many Hamburgers were upset. The Senate estimated 20 years of life left.
The middle part of the bridge is suffering from material fatigue. The approaches have concrete cancer.
Since 2019, trucks must keep a distance of 50 meters. This reduces the load.
The bridge is too low for new container ships. In 2017, the HPA began planning a new bridge. It will have a clearance height of at least 73.5 meters.
In 2021, the idea of a tunnel came up. It would be more expensive. But it would last longer.
In April 2023, a new bridge was back on the table. The tunnel would cost five billion euros. The ground was too muddy.
In April 2024, the Hamburg Senate decided on a new Kölbrandbrücke. It will be more than 70 meters high. It will cost up to 5.3 billion euros. It should open in 2040.
The old bridge will be demolished. This will happen once the new bridge is open.
The Kölbrandbrücke is 3,618 meters long. It is 54 meters high. Eighty-eight steel cables hold the Tiefstacker Brücke. The bridge connects Steinwerder and Waltershof.
Hamburg has about 2,500 bridges. The Kölbrandbrücke is the longest. It offers views.