Troubled Bridges Over Danish Waters

Sometime this summer, Copenhagen should open an impressive new bridge that will help reshape the layout of the city’s center. The Inderhavnsbroen (“Inner Harbor Bridge”) will cross Copenhagen’s harbor, connecting the 17th-century waterfront at Nyhavn with the rapidly transforming islands that make up the core of the city’s former port. While the bridge won’t span a vast space, it will make a big difference, cutting out a detour that makes the islands slow to reach, considering how close they are to the city’s heart.

Designed to open and close to allow ships through what is still a shipping channel, the bridge also has a typically Danish quirk: it’s only for cyclists and pedestrians. As over 50 percent of all central Copenhagen journeys now take place by bike, this needn’t be any bar to its popularity. Indeed, by making the other side of the harbor more easily accessible by bike than car, it might even contribute to a further modal shift. This all sounds great, but there’s currently a slight problem with the bridge. It won’t close.