The reconstructed underpass in Zlín needs further construction adjustments

Zlín - The new underpass between the Práce Square and the former Baťa factory complex in the center of Zlín, which the city hall opened in June after nearly a year of reconstruction, is set for further construction interventions. Water has been leaking into the underpass. Its reconstruction cost nearly 50 million crowns, with 85 percent covered by European grants. Plans include applying new insulation coatings, injections, and changing the drainage method of the structure, spokesperson for the city hall Zdeněk Dvořák told ČTK. The construction modifications will cost about 260,000 crowns, to be jointly paid by the city hall and the contractor.
    Repairs will begin on Tuesday and are expected to last a month, with the passage remaining accessible. "These technical measures should be effective, and we agreed on this with the expert who regularly conducts inspections of the bridges for us," said Mayor Miroslav Adámek (STAN).
    If the additional repairs are not successful, the mayor stated that the insulation of the underpass from the top side would need to be repaired, which would require intervention on a busy road. The city addressed the leakage soon after the reconstruction was completed; for example, the irrigation system of the adjacent lawn was changed, but minor repairs were not successful.
    During the reconstruction, above-ground structures on the side of Práce Square were removed, a new escalator, elevator, and modernized restrooms were added. The area is monitored by three cameras operated by the municipal police. However, the city hall was unable to reach an agreement with the owners of several small shops in the underpass regarding the construction modifications, leaving the shops unchanged from their previous state.
    The reconstruction of the underpass was one of three major investments by the city in recent years. The city hall also revitalized Komenský Park and Gahur's Boulevard, the space in front of the congress center.