Ostrava wants to build a new footbridge to the Lower Vítkovice area

unrealized design of a footbridge for Nová Karolina by Eva Jiřičná

Ostrava - Ostrava wants to build a new footbridge over the Ostravice River. It would connect the tourist-attractive Lower Area of Vítkovice with the city center and the bike paths around the Ostravice. The bridge's design is to be proposed by architects in a competition that the city plans to announce, said Mayor Tomáš Macura (ANO) to reporters today. The footbridge would serve not only cyclists but also pedestrians.

According to the mayor, the city plans to further expand the network of bike paths and routes in the future. The connection of the Lower Area with the city center was also requested by locals. These proposals have also been made in the context of preparing a new strategic plan for the city, which is currently being addressed in various forms directly with the residents of Ostrava.

"Part of this planned bike route should also include a footbridge for cyclists and pedestrians over the Ostravice River, which will be located about a kilometer upstream from the current Hradní footbridge," said the mayor.

Ostrava recently decided to announce several architectural competitions. They aim to resolve the future look of the square Msgre Šrámek near the renovated Cathedral of the Divine Savior in the city center, Artistic Street close to the Gallery of Fine Arts, or even the design of the historical slaughterhouse. According to the mayor, the city wanted to test this approach even for a purely technical structure, such as the new footbridge.

"We agree that the city should cultivate public space. One of these ways is indeed broader utilization of architectural competitions," the mayor pointed out. However, the announcement of the competition must still be decided by the city council at its December meeting. According to the mayor, the cycling route including the footbridge could be established in 2018.