Bernburg. The decision has been made: the new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Saale river near Groß Rosenburg will be blue! This was the result of an online survey initiated by the Salzlandkreis district. According to the survey, almost 40 percent of the total 342 votes cast were for the colour blue. "It will blend in beautifully with its surroundings," said District Administrator Markus Bauer, commenting on the poll results. He thanked everyone who cast their vote. The evaluation also showed that these were mainly citizens of Barby, Calbe and Bernburg.
The decision means that the planning for the necessary authorisations can be pushed ahead. The steel truss bridge over the Saale river should be in blue by 2027 at the latest. At 275 metres, it will be one of the longest cycle bridges in Germany and will connect the two Barby districts of Groß Rosenburg and Tornitz and link both sides to the Saale cycle path. The project also includes new bicycle service stations at the Sachsendorf and Gnadau railway stations to make it easier for commuters in particular to switch to their bikes.
District Administrator Markus Bauer: "This bridge will not only promote sustainable mobility. It will set in motion a major, positive process of change in the region that we can't yet fully visualise." The District Administrator is convinced: "Our citizens will benefit from this in their everyday cycling and tourists will be able to explore our wonderful region even more easily. This will further promote the Salzland district as an attractive business and residential location!" The bridge is a useful addition to the cycling infrastructure in the Salzland district, which has improved considerably in recent years thanks to the initiative of the district administration and in cooperation with the state and many towns and municipalities.
The Salzland district raised almost five million euros in funding for the pedestrian and cycle bridge alone. The money came from the National Climate Protection Programme. In addition, on the initiative of the Salzland district, funding was also recently provided for the renovation of 16 kilometres of the R1 European cycle path. "The experience with the cycle bridge near Gröna clearly shows that such a bridge quickly establishes itself as a route and can therefore create added value."