<radní>Councilor: The construction of the bridge at Výtoň should be moved to the Modřany weir</radní>

Prague - The railway bridge at Prague's Výtoň will be moved to a location near the Modřany weir if replaced with a new structure, where it will serve as a footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The councilors decided today on the basis of a study of possible locations prepared by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). The Railway Administration (SŽ) plans to replace the bridge, which is in poor condition, with a new one, a move criticized by heritage conservationists, associations, and local authorities.

Since the historic riveted structure of the bridge from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries is a protected monument, SŽ will have to preserve it in any case. Therefore, a plan was made to move it so that it can still serve under lower load. IPR, based on a mandate from the city leadership, examined ten locations, recommending the site at the Chuchle racetrack as the most suitable for the footbridge. The chosen location places the bridge on the Chuchle side at the level of Dostihová Street and on the Modřany side not far from the Belárie tram stop.

The councilors today approved the location of the footbridge in the recommended area in case "(...) it will not be possible and expedient to preserve the historic structure of the railway bridge in its current position." According to the document, SŽ has already commissioned a follow-up technical study of sites above and below the Modřany weir, which showed that the location further downstream is more advantageous.

"It is at the site of the existing ferry, which is very attractive and used, so we know that there is definitely interest in pedestrian connectivity in this area," said Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates). Another deputy, Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), added that the city leadership sees today’s resolution as a hypothetical option in case SŽ decides to remove the current structure. He stated that it will also depend on the stance of heritage conservationists and the UNESCO organization, and according to the opinion of the Spolu club (ODS, TOP 09, KDU-ČSL), the state should bear the costs of any potential relocation.

"We are prepared to ensure both the relocation of the structure and the construction of new pillars," said Pavel Paidar, director of the modernization section of SŽ. He added that subsequently, the organization is ready to hand the bridge over to the management of Prague. In its new form, according to him, the bridge would also regain art nouveau elements that were lost in the past due to the electrification of the railway.

According to the approved document, the city is ready to work closely with SŽ in the event of a decision to relocate, especially in preparing connectivity to pedestrian and cycling routes and creating access to the footbridge. "The relocation of the bridge structure must be preceded by an assessment and a decision by the state heritage conservation authorities in terms of cultural heritage protection during the issuance of a binding opinion or decision according to the law," the explanatory memorandum to the resolution further states.

SŽ is looking for designers for the new bridge. The administration plans the work for the years 2027 to 2029 and estimates the costs at 3.4 billion crowns. The plan to replace the structure has long been criticized by heritage conservationists, the "Do Not Demolish" Association, and the Czech National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Paidar said today that SŽ is currently preparing documentation for an internationally recognized assessment of the impact on cultural heritage, known as Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA).

The Prague City Assembly approved a resolution last year, according to which the capital city demands the preservation of the bridge in its current form and the addition of a third track. The opposition group Prague Sobě is criticizing the city leadership for not sufficiently enforcing this position. The town halls of Prague 2 and Prague 5 also approved a resolution against the plan.

"Speculating about the placement of the railway bridge elsewhere than under Vyšehrad is an attempt to circumvent last year's resolution of the assembly on the necessity to repair the bridge. It is an unprecedented gamble that threatens Prague's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site," said Adam Scheinherr, chairman of Prague Sobě today. He added that, in his opinion, the land for the relocation is not yet secured, and if SŽ's actions ultimately lead to the bridge's demolition, the councilors who voted in favor today will share the blame. "The reconstruction of the bridge would be faster and cheaper, which may be why SŽ is so resistant to it and advocates for new construction regardless of the city's needs," he stated.

The head of the Prague branch of the opposition ANO party, Ondřej Prokop, supports the relocation but has doubts about its feasibility. "The construction of a new bridge could significantly expedite this compromise. Prague desperately needs a capacity railway route across the Vltava, and it would be a shame if the bridge at Výtoň, like the Libeň bridge, suffered due to naive political notions of sensitive reconstruction of an irreparable bridge," he wrote today to ČTK. Like Scheinherr, he mentioned that Prague does not have secured land for the move and that it is also unclear whether it will be possible to purchase it, making the entire process seem untrustworthy. "I have the feeling that this is meant to act more as bait for active citizens fighting for the preservation of the historic bridge, knowing that this solution will ultimately not be realized and the bridge will indeed go to scrap," he stated.