Brno has begun work on the next section of the large city ring road

Brno - Brno has begun preliminary construction work at the intersection of Provazníkovy and Karlovy streets on the large urban ring road; starting Saturday, Karlova Street will be closed for the entire summer holidays. The reconstruction of engineering networks and the demolition of some buildings at the intersection are necessary preparations for the construction of a new section of the large urban ring road, said David Fiala, director of the Brno branch of the Road and Motorway Directorate, and Richard Mrázek, Deputy Mayor (ANO), to reporters today.

The actual construction of the new section of the ring road is set to begin at the turn of 2018 and 2019. It includes the reconstruction of Tomkovo Square into a grade-separated intersection and an overpass that will span the intersection with Karlova, the railway track, and will lead to Vinohrady, where a tunnel is planned to be drilled southward in the future.

The preparatory work will cost the city approximately 250 million crowns, while the state will pay four billion crowns for the constructions. It is expected to last two and a half years, meaning it could be completed by 2021. "Due to the construction, some buildings directly at the intersection of Karlova and Provazníkovy must be demolished; similarly, the demolition of buildings near Tomkovo Square to the right towards Husovické tunnels and the demolition of the gymnasium and the construction of a new one are also planned," said Mrázek.

The new road is intended to alleviate congestion on Svatoplukova Street and its intersection with Rokytová, as drivers heading toward Vinohrady and Líšeň will no longer have to drive around the barracks.

When the tunnel under the Vinohrady housing estate will begin to be drilled is still unclear. "We have commissioned the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the entire eastern part of the ring road, including the tunnel, Bratislavská and Ostravská radii," Fiala stated. It should be completed next year, and the preparatory tender documentation for examining the geological conditions along the route is already being prepared. "We are doing this earlier than usual because we know that it is a complex terrain, and we want to know as soon as possible where we stand," Fiala added.

The much-anticipated start of construction of the ring road at Žabovřeská, which needs to be widened by two lanes, has again been postponed contrary to initial expectations from the beginning of the year, and the tram line must also be relocated. It is now expected to start in the first half of next year, with the construction lasting five years. The investor is facing challenges due to the necessity of conducting a new EIA, which is expected to be finished in the fall. "We should receive the building permit at the beginning of next year, and then we can conduct the second round of contractor selection," Fiala said.