Kohlbrandbrucke

The Kohlbrandbrucke is a cable-stayed bridge in the Wilhelmsburg quarter of Hamburg, Germany which connects the harbour area between the Norderelbe and Suderelbe branches of the Elbe river with motorway 7 (exit Waltershof). It bridges the Kohlbrand, which is part of the Suderelbe branch. It was opened on 9 September 1974.

Kohlbrandbrucke

Carries                                         Cars

Crosses                                         Kohlbrand, part of the river Suderelbe

Locale                                          Hamburg, Germany

Design                                          Cable-stayed bridge

Total length                                 3,618 m

Width                                          17.5 m

Height                                         135 m

Longest span                                325 m

Clearance below                          55 m above middle tide

Beginning date of construction     1970

Opened                                        9 September 1974

The bridge was designed by Hans Wittfoht and Egon Jux. It took 4 years to build it.

Since its opening the bridge has only twice been open to pedestrians, on the opening day 1974 and on its 30th birthday in 2004. The magnificent view over the city of Hamburg is however not completely limited to the drivers of cars and trucks. The bridge is on route of Hamburg's yearly UCI ProTour bicycle race Vattenfall Cyclassics. Quite a number of the amateurs participating in this race make a stop on top of the Kohlbrandbrucke.

Technical data

The bridge is made from about 81,000 cubic metres of concrete and 12,700 tonnes of steel. Each day, about 30,000 cars pass over the bridge. Its total cost being 160 million DM.

The bridge is made of 88 steel cables (each of a diameter of 10 centimetres). It is 3,940 metres long, the centre piece 325 m. It is carried by 75 pylons (the highest one of height 135 m) and reaches a height of 55 metres to allow ships pass underneath it, even at high tide. The road has an inclination of 4%.