Stress test on the Mayor Smidt Bridge: Trams coming back soon?

Stress test on the Mayor Smidt Bridge: Trams coming back soon?

Bremen is about to face a crucial test that could determine the future of the Mayor Smidt Bridge for tram traffic. Comprehensive stress tests are planned for next Sunday, in which, in addition to the Office for Roads and Transport (ASV), Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG) and scientists from Bremen University are involved. More than 30 BSAG employees will load trams weighing 26 to 29 tonnes in order to simulate different types of trams under full load. Sandbags weighing 15 kilograms and pieces of rail weighing 20 kilograms are used to create the real conditions that will exist on the bridge. These tests are crucial to compare the mathematically calculated load values ​​of the bridge with the actual values ​​determined, especially in the critical components of the structure. The mayor of the city is hoping for positive redistribution effects that could potentially reduce the load on the bridge. The test will take place early in the morning while the bridge remains closed to motor traffic and buses; However, pedestrians and cyclists have the opportunity to use them all day. The closure for trams has been ongoing since November 2024.

The Mayor Smidt Bridge, which has been part of Bremen's cityscape since the 1950s, had to be closed for months in the winter of 2024 due to renovation work. After the last investigation, those responsible found that the bridge was not safe for tram traffic. This diagnosis was based on deficits in the fatigue resistance of the transverse braces and beams as well as the longitudinal ribs. Transport Senator Özlem Ünsal (SPD) has announced that replacement with a new bridge is planned for the medium term, but originally only in the 2030s. However, the financing of the new building remains unclear and is expected to be in the low three-digit million range. The upcoming tests are all the more important to find out whether and when the trams can use the bridge again, as butenunbinnen.de reports.

Outlook for the future

However, the sign of hope remains as the city waits for the tests to be evaluated. The construction of a suspended scaffold to monitor the stress tests is already underway and is expected to take about a month. With the reopening of tram traffic, the Brandenburg transport infrastructure could not only be stabilized, but serious effects on logistics and local public transport could also be avoided. If the bridge can actually be reopened for trams, it remains to be hoped that the data obtained from the test will provide a positive basis for future decisions.

What happens next with the Mayor Smidt Bridge is currently of utmost importance for the city of Bremen. The entire public is eagerly awaiting the results of the tests and the subsequent evaluation of the data collected to clarify whether the bridge can be reopened to tram traffic or whether rapid planning and financing of a new construction is required. The bridge may be getting old, but its importance for the citizens of Bremen remains undisputed.