The footbridge in Chrastava washed away by the flood has been replaced by a transbordeur

Chrastava (Liberec Region) - The unique cableway designed by architect Martin Rajniš has replaced the footbridge in Chrastava, which was destroyed by a flash flood in August. The so-called transborder can carry one ton and transport up to six people at a time; its construction took only eight days. The device is expected to withstand even large floods, assured the project author Martin Rajniš to the residents of Chrastava today, and he tested the device alongside other figures including the mayor of Chrastava, Michael Canov.
    Transborder-type devices have been transporting people and goods for centuries, and much larger versions have been used in ports. Rajniš admitted that he was inspired by the work of his colleague Mirko Baum, who built a similar transborder in the Ruhr region on the river Niers seven years ago. "His transborder overcomes a distance of 13 meters, is made of iron, and its construction took an entire year," described the architect about his colleague's project. The German project was also significantly more expensive - it cost 70,000 euros (about 1.7 million CZK).
    Rajniš's transborder is wooden and significantly cheaper - it cost around 650,000 crowns. The device transports over a greater distance, spanning approximately 23 meters. Its realization was also incomparably quicker - only 23 days elapsed from the initial idea to the festive start of trial operation. "We were lucky, the mayor had all the building permits ready for all the footbridges that the water had taken away in the city, so nothing hindered us in the construction," noted Rajniš. He believes that similar cableways could help in other locations not just in the Liberec region.
    The construction of the Chrastava transborder was financed by companies and citizens of Prague. "In 2002, similar floods affected the capital city, so we know what it is like, and also that quick assistance is the most effective," said Deputy Mayor of Prague Pavel Klega, who participated in the project realization. He added that Rajniš's project appealed to him primarily because it is quick and inexpensive, and moreover, the materials and construction used harmonize well with nature. "I can imagine that similar transborders could serve to transport across ravines or streams on hiking trails," he noted.
    According to Mayor Michael Canov, the construction is a great help for Chrastava. The footbridge that was swept away by the water was heavily used by residents of the Kolonka district, among other things, for traveling to the train. It will also serve tourists. Today, dozens of people from the entire city came to try it out. Chrastava is among the municipalities in the Liberec region that were most affected by the floods in August. The water took four bridges and seven footbridges, destroying other municipal property worth more than 180 million crowns.