In Berlin we have 1.102 bridges, more than Venice. 7% suffer from a disease that normally human beings know: Cancer. No joke, experts found out, that there is an acid reaction taking place in the concrete, that injures the bridge: concrete cancer (“Betonkrebs” in german). There is no way to cure it. The only therapy is amputation and replacing the old bridge with a new one. Each year 20 new bridges we need, experts say. But the government has just enough money for 4 per year. Most of them aren’t really nice, they are functional, made of concrete and have to make sure that cars, busses and also the metro can trespass. Berlin bridges are hard workers. Heavy Metal. Now here is an issue caused by buerocracy and old economy thinking: The government has released 15 million Euros last year to replace and renew bridges. But only 7 million Euros were taken, 5 bridges which were planned, weren’t built. Why? Because in the government it’s too much paperwork to release the bridges, the employees are simply overwhelmed.
So here is my idea. Why don’t we just take the 7 million Euros and build wooden bridges, made of steel and wood and Europallets from the home improvement store. I mean we are no engineers, and of course, these bridges won’t carry big cars, delivery trucks and Busses. But it would be enough for baby buggies, bikes, skateboards and inlineskaters. Imagine how the city would change it’s tempo, it’s climate and it’s face if there are crucial parts in the city which can not be delivered by cars. The public transport BVG can not send their unfriendly busdrivers to these areas, they need to get creative and find other solutions to integrate these areas to their network. Policemen probably will train more on horses, and Daimler would create special emergency cars and watertanks for the fire department which are slimmer and lighter. Normal people like our fathers will take care of these bridges and repair it when they see, that something breaks. We will celebrate Bridge subbotnik days and dance on the bridges, between sky and spree. Bridges don’t need to be perfect and they don’t have to build for immortality (german bridges remain 80 years), they need to be safe and repairable. This is the most important point: Repairable! Not specialists, but normal people should be able to repair them. This has something to do with sharing knowledge, access to tools. As long as we can not get the 7 million to construct bridges, let’s start by developing these facilities of free knowledge, free tools and karma networks. Herefor we don’t need money. We can start today. Let’s build better info flows, better relationships to neighbors and the government, better understanding between us and the others at the end of the metallic and concrete overpasses. Let’s build bridges.