The "Lindaunis Bridge" is likely to remain an ongoing issue this year. Since autumn 2020, the railway has been trying to replace the ageing and repeatedly defective bascule bridge. The railway is responsible because the old bridge was not only used by pedestrians, cyclists and cars. An important railway line for the Schlei and neighbouring regions also ran over the bridge.
Search for construction companies
The bridge connects the municipalities of Boren and Rieseby and is located approximately halfway between Schleimünde at the entrance to the Baltic Sea and Schleswig in the far south-west of the Schlei. After the old structure was demolished, a temporary pedestrian bridge was built that can be opened to shipping traffic. Construction of the bridge foundations and piers for the new bridge also began. However, the work stalled time and time again. Most recently, large parts of the original construction plans had to be fundamentally revised and contracts re-tendered.
According to NDR, the railway now wants to complete the search for construction companies for the folding mechanism and the bridge lighting, among other things, by the spring. A new schedule for the work will then be drawn up.
Fire letter to the railway
This is not going fast enough for the affected communities. The mayor of Boren, Thomas Detlefsen, and his counterpart from Rieseby, Doris Rothe-Pöhls, wrote an open letter to the railway board at the beginning of February. In it, they expressed their displeasure and pointed out the continuing inconvenience for residents, local businesses and tourists caused by the lack of a crossing for rail and car traffic.
The state has a similar view of the situation. Tobias von der Heide, State Secretary at the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism, told dpa that the developments were "completely unsatisfactory" and that the impression was that no progress was being made. They now want to make it clear once again to Deutsche Bahn that something has to change.
The numerous water sports enthusiasts on the Schlei have also been confronted with some serious restrictions for years, because the bridge construction site was repeatedly impassable for long periods of time. The railway has now announced the planned opening hours of the temporary bridge for shipping traffic for this year's water sports season.
Eight bridges open daily
From Friday, 28 March 2025, it will be opened eight times a day for around 20 minutes so that boats can pass from both directions. This will be at 10.30 a.m., 11.30 a.m., 12.30 p.m., 1.30 p.m., 2.30 p.m., 3.30 p.m., 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.
There will be special openings the weekend before for anyone who wants to take their boat out of winter storage or bring it to its new summer berth earlier. On Friday, 21 and Saturday, 22 March 2025, at 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 1.30 pm, 2.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm.
For pedestrians and cyclists, the bridge is largely usable outside of the folding times, according to the railway. However, maintenance work will be carried out on the bridge motor before the start of the season. The bridge will therefore also be closed to pedestrians and cyclists from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 March 2025, from 11 pm to 4.30 am.
The costs for the new bascule bridge were last estimated at 84 million euros. However, according to a dpa report, the railway itself apparently assumes that the construction project will end up being even more expensive.
