Hradec Králové has announced the conditions for the tender for the construction of a footbridge across the Elbe

Hradec Králové – The city of Hradec Králové has taken another step toward announcing the fourth competition for the construction of a footbridge over the Elbe in the area of the Aldis congress center. The city council approved the competition terms today. In April, they will be approved by the council members. The actual bidding process could be announced by mid-year. This was stated by the city hall spokesperson Kateřina Šmídová. The city has been preparing the footbridge construction since 2003. The last tender was canceled due to a high price.

The construction of the footbridge is closely linked to the construction of the regional headquarters of Československá obchodní banka, which has been rising in the Aldis area since 2018. In a contract with ČSOB, the city committed to constructing the footbridge by this April under a penalty of 15 million crowns, which did not happen. However, the city hall averted the threat of a fine by agreeing with the bank to postpone the deadline by more than three years.

In order for the bank to continue with the construction of the headquarters, the city must demolish one of the two terraces on the banks of the Elbe near the Aldis center. The terraces were originally supposed to be demolished with the construction of the footbridge. The councilors approved a company for the demolition of the terrace for 3.4 million crowns excluding VAT today. The demolition is expected to be completed by mid-August.

The company selected for the construction of the footbridge will be able to start on the construction site in the autumn of 2021, after the builders complete work on the ČSOB building.

A key condition for announcing the tender and starting construction is that the city hall obtains a change in the permit for the construction of the footbridge from the building authority by the end of this May. If the city does not obtain permits for changes from the authorities, it would abandon the current project and start preparing the construction from the beginning with obtaining a new zoning decision.

In the last tender, the only interested party offered the footbridge for a price of 142 million crowns excluding VAT. The second tender was also canceled due to a high price, and no one applied for the first one. The city originally estimated the cost of the construction to be around 48 million crowns excluding VAT. The majority should be paid by grants. For the fourth tender, the city will not announce an estimated price for now. A peculiarity of the proposed footbridge is that it is to be constructed using an unusual technology of special high-strength concrete.