Setting the Course for the New Köhlbrand Crossing

Federal Minister Scheuer promises financial support from the federal government for the Köhlbrand crossing in Hamburg. A joint declaration of intent was signed with Peter Tschentscher, Hamburg’s First Mayor. This is good news for logistics.

(Hamburg, 13.02.2020) To keep the North mobile: Andreas Scheuer, Federal Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, today signed a joint declaration of intent with Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, regarding the renewal of the Köhlbrand crossing. At the same time, he announced federal funding. This is also supported by Rüdiger Kruse, the main reporter for transport and digital infrastructure in the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, and Johannes Kahrs, spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group in the Budget Committee.Scheuer: “The Port of Hamburg is the economic heart of Central Europe. From here, goods and products are transported all over the world. A strong connection to the German road network is also important. The Köhlbrand crossing plays a key role in this – that’s why we are making it a federal highway and want to promote the new construction with federal funds.”Tschentscher: “Logistics serves a cross-sectional function for all sectors of our economy. The Köhlbrand Bridge has been relieving inner-city neighborhoods of economic traffic for decades. It is several decades old and needs to be replaced. We need a new Köhlbrand crossing that takes over the previous function while also incorporating innovative possibilities for the transport of goods. I welcome the federal government’s decision to participate in a contemporary solution.”Kruse: “The old Köhlbrand crossing is one of Hamburg’s landmarks and has served us excellently over the past decades. Now it is about finding a good successor solution, as the connection is central to the Port of Hamburg and thus also has great national significance.”Kahrs: “With the new Köhlbrand crossing, the port link, and the continuation of A 26, the southern part of Hamburg will be significantly strengthened in terms of infrastructure. The Köhlbrand Bridge was inaugurated in 1974 and connects the Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg with the Federal Motorway 7. With a total length of over 3600 meters and a clearance height of 53 meters, it is one of the most famous cable-stayed bridges in Germany. At the same time, the Köhlbrand Bridge is one of the most important traffic axes over the Süderelbe: a significant portion of the port-related long-distance and economic traffic is handled through it. Additionally, it connects the western and eastern parts of the port. The end of the lifespan of the current Köhlbrand Bridge is projected for the year 2030. Hamburg has already commissioned a feasibility study for the planning of a new Köhlbrand crossing. This study examines possible variants, including the replacement of a bridge and the construction of a tunnel.” www.bmvi.de