The construction of tunnels in Brno may continue for now, the court has decided

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Brno - The Directorate of Roads and Highways (ŘSD) may continue the construction of the Dobrovského tunnels in Brno, a key part of the large urban ring road under construction. The Prague Municipal Court a week ago did not grant a suspensive effect to the lawsuit of opponents of the construction against the Ministry of Transport. Today, officials from Brno announced this to reporters. Activists have previously succeeded with a similar lawsuit, which temporarily halted construction. However, at the beginning of March, the Ministry of Transport issued a new construction permit with a new assessment and additional conditions for the builders. Construction is now underway again, but the new permit is once again the subject of litigation.
The first deputy mayor, Robert Kotzian (ODS), stated that the decision regarding the suspensive effect is good news for both drivers and the investor. "The construction will not be unnecessarily expensive and delayed for the time being. And for the city of Brno, this means approaching the completion of the construction, a very important part of the large urban ring road," Kotzian said.
In June, the City of Brno also joined the legal dispute between the opponents of the construction and the Ministry of Transport. It aims to contribute to the rapid completion of the construction, to avoid additional costs, and to relieve nearby residents from traffic complications. For example, people in the urban areas of Královo Pole and Žabovřesky have endured traffic jams and detours for three years due to the construction.
The construction of the Dobrovského tunnels was originally set to begin in the spring of 2006. However, environmentalists and homeowners in the vicinity disagreed with the method of tunneling. The Prague court ruled in their favor and returned the construction permit to the Ministry of Transport for revision. The ministry obtained a new construction permit in 2007, and construction began a few months later. The Prague Municipal Court annulled the second permit in March of this year, followed by a new permit, and construction resumed.
Tunneling was completed about a year ago, and it remains to finish the associated grade-separated intersections that would channel vehicular traffic into the tunnels. According to opponents of the construction, people living near the tunnels are not adequately protected from noise. Residents also feared that tunneling would affect the structural integrity of their homes. In some cases, these concerns have proven to be valid. According to activists from the civic association VMO Brno, the ministry did not effectively address noise limit issues even in the new assessment.