Gothenburg approves controversial $135M cycle bridge despite opposition

Gothenburg city council has given the green light to construct a $135 million cycle and pedestrian bridge spanning the Göta Älv river, despite opposition calls for investing in electric ferry services instead.

The 1.2 billion kronor bridge aims to better connect the city and replaces a previously scrapped cable car proposal over the river. However, the project faces criticism from some quarters.

“The bridge risks becoming another cable car fiasco,” Hampus Magnusson of the opposition Moderate Party told DN newspaper. He argued electric mini-ferries could provide free crossings for decades at the same cost.

Maritime Concerns Over Bridge Openings

The Swedish Maritime Administration also raised doubts about the 36-second bridge opening time for vessels estimated in the project’s cost-benefit analysis, calling it “unrealistically optimistic.” They projected delays of 8-10 minutes whenever a cargo ship passes.

However, the ruling Social Democrats defended the analysis underlying the bridge proposal. “We have confidence in the figures provided and don’t find them strange,” stated councilor Johannes Hulter, adding electric ferries were also viewed positively as supplementary transport.

If approved, the cycle bridge project would still require a judicial process to obtain environmental permits and water rights before construction can commence on the high-profile river crossing.

The contentious mega-project vote highlighted diverging visions within Göteborg’s leadership on sustainable mobility investments and interconnecting the city’s urban landscape.

The translation was written by an AI system, though the original text was authored by a human.