Overview
- The Hamburg Senate presented the winning design in the Rathaus on Wednesday, selecting a consortium led by Grassl, Schlaich Bergermann Partner and WTM with gmp and PPL to deliver the project.
- Planners propose a largely parallel, cable-stayed bridge about five kilometres long with two 170‑metre pylons and a 73.5‑metre vertical clearance, requiring much longer approach ramps.
- Officials plan to file for formal plan approval by 2030, aim to open the crossing to road traffic in the late 2030s, and expect full shipping benefits only after the old bridge is removed around 2040–2046.
- Project costs are estimated at roughly €4.4–5.3 billion with the federal government expected to cover about half of net construction costs, and funding and permit negotiations still to be settled.
- The replacement responds to growing structural decay and rising upkeep bills that prompted a heavy-vehicle ban for loads over 44 tonnes in May 2026, and the new span will use hundreds of sensors and a 100‑year design life to reduce future maintenance and protect harbour access.