Traffic chaos in Bad Schandau: Elbe bridge and diversions cause trouble!

Traffic chaos in Bad Schandau: Elbe bridge and diversions cause trouble!

Bad Schandau.A shock for road users! The Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau was surprisingly closed on Wednesday evening because experts classified its load-bearing capacity as being at risk. A spontaneous failure of the bridge cannot be ruled out! This sudden measure has a massive impact on traffic in Saxon Switzerland. On Friday, part of the state road S163, which runs under the bridge, was closed. Cars, cyclists and pedestrians now have to give them a wide berth!

The diversion leads over the Ziegenrücken towards Pirna and uses a narrow section of road north of the bridgehead that is normally only passable as a one-way street. A traffic light was installed here to regulate traffic. Uwe Thiele, head of regional transport RVSOE and mayor of Rathmannsdorf, expressed his displeasure about the lack of communication: “We are not informed about anything!” His employees found out about the closure by chance, while he only found out about the bridge closure from the district administrator.

Official diversion route set

The official diversion route is now clear: It leads from Bad Schandau via Ziegenrückenstraße and past the Hocksteinschänke to Pirna. Drivers have to be prepared for several traffic lights while the diversion from Dresden leads via the B172 and the Old Town Bridge. This route is particularly important for heavy goods traffic. The Sachsenbrücke on the S177 is not designated as a diversion because it is impassable for trucks due to weight restrictions.

In addition, the left Elbe cycle path in Bad Schandau is closed, which affects cyclists between Königstein and Bad Schandau. The Elbe waterway is also no longer passable in this area. Authorities have already started putting up signs to mark the diversion and are monitoring traffic flows to make adjustments if necessary.