Smart City Bridge in Norway to Last 100 Years

The former industrial town of Drammen in Norway is getting a makeover. And PNC Norge, a subsidiary of the Austrian PORR AG, is playing a major role in shaping it. It has been commissioned to remove the old bridge on the River Drammen and build a smart city bridge and new wharf in its place. A particular focus is species conservation.

For the Norwegian town of Drammen, this is the largest construction contract in its history. The former industrial town with a 100,000-strong population is about 30 minutes by car from Oslo and stands at the mouth of the salmon-rich River Drammen. As part of the makeover, it will receive a new city bridge for around EUR 85m.

The elegant white bridge will traverse the River Drammen starting in 2025. It will form a core part of the city’s axis between the main square and the railway station. The 180-meter-long steel bridge will be 19.4 meters wider than before and users will be able to cross it by car, bicycle or on foot.

“The old bridge was built in 1936 and was only designed to last 50 years. So it is high time to replace it. Our bridge is built to last at least 100 years”, says Karl-Heinz Strauss, chairman-management of the board/CEO at Porr AG. The new bridge construction is thereby the core element in the complete overhaul of Drammen. Among other things, the city center will be upgraded, traffic will be diverted outward and the waterfront promenade and the railway station will be redesigned.

Work will start with the removal of the existing bridge and breaking up the foundations in the water. Then, work on the new river foundations and supports will be carried out on two floating platforms, each measuring 20 by 20 meters. Then the steel parts will be installed and the project rounded off with a complete surface design. The parts for the steel bridge will be transported by barge from PORR’s new steel construction production plant across the sea to Norway; transport by water is an effective and climate-friendly alternative to land transport.

One challenge is the many points of contact with the Norwegian state railway Bane NOR, which is renewing the tracks and pedestrian crossings in the immediate vicinity of the bridge. “For us, there is another challenge to this project – and that is the protection of native species”, says Strauss. “This is a particular issue in Norway and there are very strict requirements for construction companies. Between May and September, for example, we are not allowed to disturb the migrating salmon with any work in the water.” In addition to the salmon, the River Drammen is home to 42 different species of fish. “The bridge is not scheduled to open until August 2025 to give the salmon enough undisturbed time to spawn during the summer months.”

Facts and figures at a glance

• Project type: Bridge construction/steel construction/demolition
• Scope of services: New construction of the city bridge in Drammen and demolition of the existing bridge
• The new bridge will be built on two foundations in the river and the support structure will be made of steel
• Client: Municipality of Drammen
• Contractor: PNC Norge AS
• Contract period: May 2022 to April 2026, bridge set for completion in August 2025
• Contract volume: NOK 859m (around EUR 85m)