Railway bridge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: future uncertain!

Railway bridge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: future uncertain!

The railway bridge on St.-Martin-Straße in Garmisch-Partenkirchen faces an uncertain future as extensive renovation work is pending. Every day, trains weighing tons cross the imposing structure that spans the street and is scheduled to receive a new support as early as 2025 in order to repair the current damage, including cracks in the concrete. Deutsche Bahn monitors the condition of the bridge and recently installed a monitoring system that records the deflection of the structure. According to a DB spokeswoman, the operational safety of the bridge is guaranteed, but the need for a completely new building could soon become an issue, as [Merkur.de] reports.

Old Swede - A history of the building

The bridge has been gradually repaired for several years, but this is not enough to cope with the constant load. An inspection by building committee members brought to light the urgency of this problem. An additional pillar will be installed in the middle of the bridge to better distribute the weight. This should happen by 2025 and could also have an impact on the traffic situation in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Some local politicians already fear traffic chaos due to parallel construction work in town, as mentioned by [Merkur.de].

The history of bridges, which are important for busy railway lines and have to withstand centuries, is not new. A comparison to the historic railway bridge over the Daugava in Riga shows how bridges have changed over the years, acquired cultural and economic importance and need to be maintained again and again. Since its inauguration in 1914, this bridge has undergone many renovations and was heavily damaged during the First and Second World Wars. After extensive restoration, it is now once again an important transport route in the Latvian capital, as [Wikipedia] documents.