photo: DB press materials/Deutsche Bahn
16 November 2021 was the date of the symbolic placing of the foundation stone for the railway bridge over the German-Polish border Oder River. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Jakub Kapturzak, Head of the Railway Department in the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, Mr. Ronald Pofalla, Member of the Board of Deutsche Bahn, Mr. Dietmar Woidke (SPD), Prime Minister of Brandenburg, Mr. Gernot Schmidt (SPD), District Administrator of Märkisch-Oderland, Hugo Gratza, Head of the Railway Department in the Federal Ministry of Transport and Mr. Guido Beermann (CDU), Minister for Infrastructure of the State of Brandenburg. The federal government is investing around 65 million euros into this construction.
According to its report, the new railway bridge is a globally unique project. The 260-meter-long network of arch-supporting wires and the so-called hangers are made from carbon. The material is significantly more flexible than steel, and the innovative development technology offers a slender, material-saving, and environmentally friendly option.
“This bridge is a symbol of the growing together of Europe - in the spirit of the European Year of the Rails. The first trains will run over this unique construction as early as the end of 2022, bringing commuters comfortably and environmentally friendly to both countries. I am just as enthusiastic about the filigree architecture of the bridge as is the speed with which it is built: A good year is a record," Ronald Pofalla, Board Member for Infrastructure at DB, stated.
Dr. Michael Güntner, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure in the run-up to the event also said: “The cross-border infrastructure connects Europe. I am all the more pleased that we are setting new standards worldwide in terms of efficiency and environmental compatibility at this historically significant river crossing with new building materials and innovative construction and thus also showing potential for the expansion of tomorrow's rail infrastructure."
With the completion of the new bridge, travelers can again use the RB26 from Berlin via Müncheberg (Mark) to Kostrzyn (Poland). From the end of 2020, there has been a replacement bus service from Küstrin-Kietz due to the preparatory steps and construction work. The trains will be able to travel over the new bridge at 120 km/h. Before that, it was only 30 km/h for several years.
The old viaduct, built-in 1867 and repeatedly rebuilt after being damaged in two world wars and most recently completely renewed in 1920, has been torn down since the fall of 2021.
The national bridge competition authorities announced the winning New Oder Bridge project back in 2015. The design office Schüßler-Plan from Berlin was granted the contract together with Knights Architects from London.