Overview

• On July 28 crews removed around 500 love locks from Frankfurt’s Eisernen Steg and have stored them for six months to allow owners to reclaim them upon request.
• The removal cleared access to cable routes in the bridge’s drainage channels and to the joints of its struts ahead of a new color-capable lighting installation.
• The upgraded lighting will enable the bridge to display colored illumination for major events such as football tournaments and Valentine’s Day.
• City officials stressed that the locks, which weigh an estimated five tons in total, have never threatened the bridge’s structural integrity but can be removed when they obstruct maintenance.
• The operation, led by the Amt für Straßenbau und Erschließung, reflects Frankfurt’s policy that romantic tokens must yield when they impede technical work or pose potential hazards.