Winning proposal for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge

Our proposal challenges the original alignment, instead allowing the bridge to cross the river diagonally in a gentle S-curve. This approach creates a safer and more accessible connection while also enabling a simple bridge design that uses a minimum of materials.

With the new bridge, Hameln aims to improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians and better connect the city’s cycle routes across the Weser. The bridge forms part of the city’s Green City Plan, which aims to promote more sustainable mobility and reduce transport-related emissions. The new bridge creates a more direct route north of the city centre and connects to Hameln’s existing cycle network.

The winning proposal for the Nördliche Fuß- und Radwegbrücke über die Weser builds on Dissing+Weitling’s many years of experience in designing pedestrian and cycle bridges. Rather than following the originally planned direct connection towards the intersection of Fischbecker Straße and Fontanestraße, the winning proposal shifts the crossing further south, allowing the bridge to span the Weser diagonally.

“We are delighted to have won an international competition of this calibre. Rather than simply designing a bridge along the prescribed alignment, we chose to challenge the underlying assumptions. By relocating the crossing and working with a gentle, curved geometry, we have been able to bring architecture, traffic safety and structural design together in one simple solution. We believe it is precisely this interplay that creates the right bridge for Hameln,” says Jesper Henriksen, CEO and Partner at Dissing+Weitling.

Safe and Durable

With a maximum gradient of four per cent, the connection will be comfortable and accessible for both pedestrians and cyclists. At the same time, traffic safety is improved because cyclists are no longer directed straight towards the heavily trafficked Fischbecker Straße, but instead naturally slow down before the crossing.

The bridge has been designed with a focus on simplicity, longevity and efficient use of materials. An airtight, welded steel box girder supports the bridge while protecting the steel from the elements. The bridge has few moving parts, increasing its durability and keeping ongoing maintenance requirements to a minimum.

The steel also requires no conventional corrosion protection. This reduces the need for chemical surface treatments close to the Weser, while the steel itself can be recycled.

A high degree of prefabrication and short installation times limit the impact during the construction phase. Combined with low material consumption and a long-lasting structure, this contributes to low life-cycle costs.

The Hameln project marks our second successful bridge competition across the Weser in just over a year. In July 2025, Dissing+Weitling, together with COWI and WTM Engineers, won the competition for a new Weser bridge on the A1 motorway near Bremen.