<div>Six designers are competing for the construction of the new footbridge in Nymburk.</div>

Nymburk - Six designers are competing for the construction of a new footbridge over the Elbe in Nymburk, including Jiří Stráský, the author of the currently demolished footbridge, which was in a dilapidated state. The winner of the competition will be chosen by a jury made up of representatives of the city and experts on September 14. The author of the winning design will be tasked with developing the project documentation. The new footbridge could be built in 2020, Nymburk mayor Pavel Fojtík (Change for Nymburk) said today to ČTK.

In addition to the Nymburk footbridge, designer Stráský was also responsible for the footbridge in Prague-Troja, which collapsed on its own last December. Stráský denies any wrongdoing, stating that the design of the footbridge was sound.

"Today, completely different technologies are used. Previously, iron cables were poured in concrete, which allowed water to seep in. Now they are in special oil protection, so water cannot reach them, and there is no risk of rusting," Fojtík said.

According to Fojtík, the city will evaluate not only the price but also the appearance of the construction. The mayor wants Nymburk to gain a new city landmark with the footbridge, which should also blend into the surrounding environment. The city aims to build the footbridge for up to 40 million crowns. "However, if there is a really superb design for, say, 60 million, we will discuss that too," Fojtík said.

Fourteen designers expressed interest in proposing the footbridge, six advanced to the final round. According to Fojtík, designer Stráský is among the most experienced of the registered candidates, having provided the most references. He has also visited Nymburk several times in person.

The city decided to demolish the footbridge because it was at risk of collapsing. It had the same design as the footbridge in Prague-Troja, which fell last December, resulting in injuries. During the demolition in Nymburk, it was confirmed that the cables of the footbridge were severely corroded. Firemen are currently extracting the collapsed structure from the water, and experts say the operation is more complicated than the recovery of the collapsed footbridge in Prague-Troja. In Nymburk, the banks are steeper, and the footbridge is also larger.