Poděbrady will start repairing the footbridge at the hydroelectric power plant, so it will be closed

Poděbrady - Poděbrady will begin repairs on the footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Elbe near the hydroelectric power plant. The complete reconstruction of the footbridge, which is in a state of disrepair, will be carried out by the company Strabag for 15.3 million crowns. The city handed over the footbridge to the builders at the beginning of June, and from July 10, the footbridge will be completely closed due to repairs. The town announced this in a press release.

"The construction is very complicated, especially regarding access to the construction site, and most of the construction materials will be transported via the Elbe River, requiring cooperation and collaboration with representatives of the Elbe River Basin and the State Navigation Authority," the city stated. The work will take about a year, but the schedule for the closure will be clarified by the city only after the work begins.

The city has postponed the repairs so far. Originally, it wanted to coordinate the work with the repair of the neighboring footbridge above the weir, which is managed by the Elbe River Basin. However, according to the spokesperson for the basin, Hana Bendová, it is still unclear when the work on repairing the weir footbridge could begin. The weir and hydroelectric power plant are a national cultural monument, and repairs require the approval of heritage protection authorities. "The structure is in such a state of disrepair that we propose to create a replica of the bridge. It should therefore be a completely new construction. Negotiations with heritage protectors are ongoing," Bendová told ČTK.

The city had the 122-meter long reinforced concrete footbridge with a circular descent ramp built in 2002. The construction is particularly in poor technical condition, especially the structure, and therefore the builders will strengthen it with micropiles at the locations of three supports. The work will include a complete renovation of the structure's accessories and restoration of the anti-corrosion protection of the steel parts. The builders will replace the bridge closures, install a new insulation system, and repair the railing. New lighting and drainage gutters are also planned.

The footbridge is used by people on the way to the city’s lakes. It also serves as a connection for cycling routes Poděbrady – Nymburk and Mělník – Vysoká nad Labem.