On Thursday, the first part of the Barrandov Bridge repair will be completed

Prague - The Prague Technical Road Administration (TSK) will complete the first phase of the reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge on Thursday. This was announced today by the spokesman for the magistrate, Vít Hofman, in a press release. The work began last September and involved the lower part of the structure, so it did not affect traffic on the bridge. Limitations are expected only in the further stages of the repairs, which will commence next spring. According to Hofman, TSK has announced a tender for the repair of the upper part of the bridge with an estimated value of 547 million crowns.

The first part of the comprehensive reconstruction consisted mainly of repairing the pillars, which also included work from pontoons for those parts of the structure that stand in the Vltava River. According to previous information, workers did not encounter major issues with the condition of the pillars.

Greater complications for traffic will begin only with the repair of the upper part of the bridge, although the city expects that at least two of the four lanes in both directions will remain passable throughout the entire time. In light of the diagnostics carried out, which revealed the poor condition of the structure, the repairs will involve the replacement of the bridge deck on all bridges that make up the structure, including the entrance ramps from Strakonická and Barrandovská.

Further repairs are expected to start in the spring of next year and last until 2026. This period, according to Hofman, includes a one-year reserve during which work may be interrupted due to the planned construction of the Dvorecký Bridge. "The contracting authority anticipates a likely interruption of construction work after the completion of the 2nd phase in 2023," the spokesman said.

TSK is currently looking for a company to carry out the construction. "We are aware of the impact that the reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge can have on drivers. Accordingly, we set the evaluation criteria for the public contract. Price will account for 40 percent, another 40 percent will be the duration of traffic restrictions, and the remaining 20 percent will be the experience of the bidder," said Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě).

Prague has been facing problems with the condition of bridges for a long time. In early December 2017, a pedestrian bridge between Císařský Island and Troja collapsed. Four people were injured in the accident, and the city installed a new bridge in the original place. There have been plans for the repair of the Libeň Bridge for a long time, and the Palacký Bridge is also in poor condition. In addition, the magistrate is planning the construction of the Dvorecký Bridge between Podolí and Prague 5, which should begin early next year. There is also talk about a new Rohanský Bridge that could connect Karlín and Holešovice, but a decision on its construction has not yet been made.