The first birthday of the new railway bridge is celebrated in Linz. But you have to ask yourself: “Why is almost no one driving over the new bridge?” After all, it cost a good 90 million euros.
It is 400 meters long, more than 31 meters wide and weighs 16,500 tons – the new Linz railway bridge. The construction work was completed on August 28, 2021, and the bridge was handed over as part of a colorful spectacle. The road was opened to traffic on the morning of August 30, 2021. Now, for the first birthday, an initial balance is being drawn. Have commuters forgotten the crossing? The fact that 7000 vehicles cross the new railway bridge per day is officially announced. But a comparison with the “old railway bridge”, which was in service for 116 years and was demolished in 2016, remains guilty. 20,000 vehicles rolled over this every day. And the question of why the new railway bridge is not so well received also remains open. Have the commuters “forgotten” them after around five years of demolition and new construction? Or is it just less busy on the streets? After all, the cyclists like the bridge – up to 2,600 pedal a day across the Danube crossing. And politicians are optimistic about the future: “The Danube crossing will also be a central element for public transport in the future. The new trolleybus line and two S-Bahn connections from the north to the south will glide over the Danube Bridge.”Politicians congratulateThe politicians are the first to congratulate. There is no cake, but unctuous donations of words. Governor Thomas Stelzer emphasizes: “The new Danube bridge means more quality of life for the region thanks to fewer traffic jams. In addition, an efficient infrastructure strengthens our location and creates new opportunities for Upper Austria.” For Mayor Klaus Luger, the first bridge anniversary is a special one: “This is an important project for Linz’s transport infrastructure. The Danube Bridge in its new appearance is more than just a Danube crossing. It represents a special architectural eye-catcher and is a symbol of the joint offensive by the city and state for the expansion of public transport.” Two modern regional light rail lines will cross the Danube and connect the surrounding regions with the state capital. This gives many people attractive and easy access to new mobility options. I would like to congratulate you on the first anniversary and look forward to the future birthdays of the new Linz railway bridge,” says State Councilor for Mobility and Infrastructure Günther Steinkellner. “80,000 cyclists in the peak month show that the new railway bridge has primarily become a bicycle bridge. For me, it’s also the Linz athletes’ bridge – it enables the 3-bridge run and connects sports facilities on both sides of the Danube,” said Deputy Mayor Martin Hajart.
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