New Gertrauden Bridge for Heavy Vehicles Closed - New Gertrauden Bridge for Heavy Vehicles Closed
The Neue Gertraudenbrücke in central Berlin will close to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes after inspectors uncovered structural damage. The decision comes from the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection, which identified serious issues on the bridge near Spittelmarkt between Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz.
The bridge, which carries Leipziger Straße, Gertraudenstraße, and Mühlendamm over the Spree Canal, has developed excessive flexing and fatigue cracks in its welded seams. These problems affect the longitudinal beams, raising concerns about safety. While the closure applies to all standard vehicles—including BVG buses—emergency and rescue services will still have access.
Specialist engineers and structural analysts are set to examine the bridge in early 2026. Their assessment will determine what repairs are needed to restore full capacity. The damaged structure sits near the partially demolished Mühlendamm Bridge, adding to transport challenges in the area.
The restriction follows a detailed inspection by the Senate’s transport authority. Until repairs are completed, heavier vehicles must find alternative routes through the city centre. Further updates will depend on the findings of the 2026 technical review.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.