Saxony demolishes another Spannstahl bridge as A14 closes near Grimma

Background

Since the partial collapse of the Carolabrücke in Dresden in September 2024, bridges in Saxony built with Hennigsdorfer Spannstahl have been under heightened scrutiny. The prestressed steel is prone to stress cracks, and several structures have already been demolished or are slated for replacement. The costs for the new bridges run into many millions of euros.

Grimma bridge demolition

The next structure to come down is a smaller bridge over the A14 motorway near Grimma. From Friday evening, 31 July 2026, the A14 will be fully closed to allow the demolition to proceed. The bridge is one of those identified as using the problematic Spannstahl.

Other affected bridges

The B101 bridge near Großenhain was the first to be torn down after the Carolabrücke collapse, with demolition completed in December 2024. Its replacement has been under construction since summer 2025 and is expected to be finished by the end of 2026. The state road construction authority puts the cost at 6.8 million euros.

South of Leipzig, the Agra-Brücke on the B2 through Markkleeberg had long been known to be dilapidated. A special inspection after the Dresden collapse confirmed the 1970s structure must be urgently replaced. One side of the bridge has been closed since spring 2026, while the other is temporarily stabilised with additional supports. Planning for a new bridge is underway, with an estimated cost of around 50 million euros, funded by the federal government.

In Bad Schandau, two bridges are affected: the Elbe crossing and the bridge over the railway tracks. The Elbe bridge was temporarily fully closed but now permits restricted heavy goods traffic under monitoring. The railway bridge must be replaced. Construction of a temporary bridge began in June 2026, with the state authority putting the cost of that temporary structure alone at 7 million euros.

Wider investigations

After the Dresden collapse, the state of Saxony identified 15 additional bridges with comparable construction methods within its jurisdiction. These include the bridge over the Spree near Uhyst and the S190 bridge over the Freiberger Mulde. Investigations into their condition are ongoing.