In Prague, the construction of the Štvanická footbridge has begun, which will connect Holešovice and Karlín

Prague – Construction of the Štvanická footbridge began today on the island of Štvanice, which will connect Holešovice and Karlín. The footbridge will measure 299.4 meters. It will be designated for pedestrians and cyclists, and it will also be accessible to ambulances. On the Holešovice side, the footbridge will be able to be raised in case of flooding. The lifespan of the bridge is 200 years. The construction will cost 298 million crowns and will last for 14 months. The authors of the bridge are architects Petr Tej, Marek Blank, and Jan Mourek. The Prague leadership is also preparing to transform Štvanice, where a new park will be created.

"The residents of these neighborhoods have needed a connection across the Vltava River for years. There will also be a connection to an imaginary trail with a tunnel under Vítkov, thereby opening a new gateway to the city for Žižkov residents. We will also gain barrier-free access to Štvanice," said Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Praha Sobě) at the ceremonial start of construction.

The footbridge will have its entrance on the Holešovice bank of the Vltava at Bubenské nábřeží, in front of the gate to the Prague Market. In Karlín, it will lead to the cycle path along the flood protection barrier. The footbridge will span 38 meters between Karlín and Štvanice and 149 meters between Štvanice and Holešovice. According to previous statements from the municipality, the construction is expected to take 14 months.

"The footbridge is designed from ultra-high-performance concrete. It is a white composite material that has unique properties, high strength, and resistance to the surrounding environment. This means it cannot be spray-painted, and water does not freeze in it. It excels in terms of durability and maintenance of the bridge," said Tej. The footbridge will have five spans, one of which is approximately 60 meters long. The ramp on Štvanice will be 84 meters long.

The last span, which is at the bank in Holešovice, will be a lift span due to the possibility of flooding. The bridge can be raised by three meters, which will increase it by one meter above the level of the 2002 flood. In other places, the footbridge will not be liftable, as they are above the flood level.

Workers will begin work on the foundations of the footbridge next week. According to Scheinherr, the rough construction could be completed by this autumn. The transport company (DPP) will temporarily relocate the tram line closer to the river from January 15 to 21 due to the construction. Thus, trams will run on a single track for the duration of the construction before entering the Prague Market.

A transformation is also expected for the entire island in the future. A new park will be created here. Both the Holešovice and Karlín banks will also be modified. The restoration of the filled-in branch of the Vltava River is planned on Rohanský island in Karlín, where a park will be established. In Holešovice, the embankment will be modified and reconstructed, with a promenade, new crossings, and barrier-free stops to be created.

Currently, people can only walk from Karlín to Holešovice via the busy Hlávkův bridge or make a detour through Rohanský island and the Libeň bridge. They can also use a ferry during the season. They can only reach Štvanice from Hlávkův bridge or by ferry.

In 2020, Prague opened a new bridge from Císařský island to Troja. The original one collapsed at the end of 2017. Prague has long-standing issues with its bridges. The Libeň and Hlávkův bridges are in poor condition, the Palackého bridge also requires repairs, and this year the second phase of repairs on the Barrandovský bridge will begin.