Port of Hamburg plans new building of a double-armed balance bridge

The Hamburg Port Authority announced the beginning of construction works for a new bridge over the Rethe canal.

The new bridge will be built in 2009 only few metres west of the old one. It is designed as a double-armed balance bridge with separate lanes for road and rail. The advantage of this design is that hydraulic balance bridges can be operated very economically. They are reliable in operation and generate lower maintenance costs. In addition, a balance bridge has unlimited passage height, which is in view of the increasing number of ever larger ships is a further advantage against a lift-bridge. During the planning process, which did an architect, particular importance has been attached to the bridge fitting the typical structure of the port environment, support. The new building will replace the 1934 lift-bridge. A reconstruction is not economically viable; the planned new building will take in account the nautical requirements and increasing traffic in the port. The neighboring port terminals, mainly handling all kind of bulk cargo, are very open-minded to the plans and will profit from the increased efficiency, which can be expected for this port area. Since the old lift-bridge will remain in service until the opening of the balance bridge, traffic will not be affected. After completion, the new bridge will have a span of 100 metres, which makes it one of the world's largest mobile bridges. Construction costs are estimated at EUR72 million (US$113.6 million).

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