In Vel. Meziříčí, builders have completed a new bridge over the Balinka

Velké Meziříčí - In Velké Meziříčí, builders have completed a new bridge, over which the local road crosses the Balinka stream in Třebíčská street. It has replaced a century-old narrower bridge structure. Heritage conservationists wanted the original bridge to be reconstructed or replaced by a replica. However, the bridge was not protected as a monument, and the regional office did not stop its demolition. During the demolition, the deck went down faster than the construction company had announced. According to them, however, the work was carried out according to technological procedures.

The investor for the construction was the town. The new bridge is 24 meters long and nearly 13 meters wide, with sidewalks and a bike path running alongside. The construction, costing 17.6 million crowns without tax, was carried out by the company Mitrenga-stavby, and included adjustments to the surroundings. "A new parking lot was created, there are new sidewalks. The center of the town has modernized a bit again," said mayor Josef Komínek (ČSSD) on the occasion of today's opening of the road over the bridge.

The original bridge, with prominent concrete arches from the Brno company Ferrobeton, was from 1924. According to a previous statement from the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), it was a valuable example of transportation architecture from the early 20th century. There is still such a bridge in Hořepník in the Vysočina region, while another in Jimramov was replaced by a replica in 2013.

"For Velké Meziříčí, the demolition of the historical bridge is an irreplaceable loss and it is a shame that at least a compromise proposal from the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) for the construction of a replica that meets current transport needs was not utilized," said Pavel Macků, the director of the NPÚ office in Telč, to ČTK on Thursday.

Heritage conservationists last year stated in response to the town's plan to reconstruct the bridge that if the bridge is in a heritage zone, it should be reconstructed or replaced by a replica. Mayor Komínek informed the media at the end of May that, according to the regional transportation department, which addressed the matter as an appeal body, the bridge was neither a monument nor part of a protected heritage area.