The South Bohemian Region announced an architectural competition for a new bridge in České Budějovice

České Budějovice - The South Bohemian Region has announced an architectural competition for a new bridge in České Budějovice, the Bridge of Astronauts. It is intended to replace the currently heavily used bridge, which is in poor condition. This was stated by the governor's deputy Pavel Klíma (TOP 09).

"The bridge is in poor technical condition and needs to be replaced with a new one. It should be functional and representative in all aspects. I greatly appreciate the fact that its final appearance will come from an architectural competition, and I am convinced that this will ensure the construction of a structure that will be a decoration for the regional city," said the deputy. According to him, the region does not only want to build a functional link from Mánesova Street across the Malše River; the aim is to create an architecturally interesting object. "We want to create something that will be a decoration for the city," he stated.

A professional analysis of the bridge in the past showed that its condition is deteriorating. Therefore, the region had to change the traffic limit from 35 tons to 23. The Bridge of Astronauts was built in 1959 and was partially repaired in 1994, adding noise barriers. Nonetheless, according to Klíma, its condition remains unsatisfactory. "The bridge is weakened by corrosion, and the concrete is also contaminated. It has a low load-bearing capacity and an insufficient flow profile. Therefore, it has been proposed to remove the bridge and replace it entirely with a new one," said the deputy.

"The region is investing significant resources to improve traffic flow in České Budějovice; we will soon open the southern tangential road and are preparing for the construction of the northern connector. It is therefore essential that Mánesova Street, which is a key transportation artery in České Budějovice, is in good condition and serves the South Bohemian people," said Governor Martin Kuba (ODS).