Berlin – The collapse of the Elsenbrücke between Treptow and Friedrichshain. The new construction of the Salvador-Allende-Bridge in Köpenick, which became necessary because of concrete cancer. Restrictions for trucks at the radio tower triangle. Anyone driving through Berlin can see in many places how the city’s infrastructure is doing. In the middle it can now be seen that it is also crumbling and crumbling in secret. Drive along the linden trees in a double-decker bus: this will soon no longer be possible in the area of the linden tunnel, which was once built for the tram. The section of the street Unter den Linden there will soon be taboo for such heavy vehicles. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and the Senate have confirmed this at the request of the Berliner Zeitung.
“The information is correct, there will be a weight limit of 18 tons on the road above the Lindentunnel,” said Nils Kremmin from BVG. “We were informed in good time that double-deckers would no longer be able to use the road in the future and will then only serve Line 100 with articulated buses. These are still allowed to cross the Lindentunnel because they have a better weight distribution than the double-deckers due to the larger center distance. “
Urban sensitive area
The boulevard in the east of the city center will not be removed from the bus network. But soon it will no longer be possible there to view the historical center from the upper deck on line 100. This not only removes a tourist attraction, local Berliners also appreciate the view from above.
But there is no alternative, according to Jan Thomsen, spokesman for the Senate Transport Administration. “A load-distributing concrete slab was recently placed on the Lindentunnel, which enables a load of up to 18 tons,” he reported. “Previously, building inspections had shown that the old ceiling of the tunnel can no longer safely carry the axle loads of very heavy vehicles.”
Gerd Engelsmann
Popular with tourists and Berliners: Line 100 is currently still operated with double-decker buses.
The planned closure starts coming from the east directly at Neue Wache across from Oberwallstrasse. In the west it ends at the end of Bebelplatz, i.e. before the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great. “The traffic signs for a passage ban for vehicles over 18 tons have been ordered but not yet set up,” said the spokesman. “Only then does the restriction apply.” From when exactly is still unclear – the official information about this has therefore not yet been given.
Before the tunnel existed, the then privately operated tram had crossed the linden trees from above ground from 1894. But even then, the boulevard was considered a sensitive urban area. Initially, no overhead lines were allowed in the crossing area, which is why there was first battery operation and then a power supply in the track area – which, however, often clogged when leaves or snow fell. Because the traffic continued to increase, the Great Berlin Tram campaigned for a second crossing of the linden trees, which the city did not approve. So it was later agreed to build a tunnel with an eastern and a western branch.
“A sign of how badly attention is paid to the infrastructure in Berlin”
In 1916 trams crossed under the boulevard for the first time. But passenger service ended as early as 1951. One reason was the reconstruction of the neighboring State Opera, for which part of the tunnel area was used. In addition, the network in the eastern city center was thinned out more and more. The north ramp was still used for sweeping until the 1960s, when it was finally over. “Since then, the tunnel has been used for a number of other purposes, such as a prop store for the Maxim Gorki Theater,” said Jan Thomsen. Parts also serve as a ventilation shaft for the underground car park under Bebelplatz. “The tunnel is to be dismantled, for which there is still no valid schedule. Preparatory work has been ongoing so far. “
“The linden tunnel will not collapse immediately,” said Jens Wieseke from the IGEB passenger association. “But of course it is a sign of how badly attention is paid to the infrastructure in Berlin.”
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