Building the footbridge over the Svratka River in Brno is planned for spring next year

Brno – The construction of a new footbridge from Táborské embankment across the Svratka River in Brno could start next spring. Brno's city council approved a contract at its last meeting under which the Moravian River Authority will lease the necessary part of the land to the city. Thanks to the contract, the city will demolish the current footbridge connecting the embankment with Poříčí Street. The footbridge has been closed since the end of 2019 due to a fatal accident at the adjacent crosswalk. The total cost of building the new footbridge is nearly 20 million crowns, with completion expected in 2023, said Anna Dudková from the Brno city hall to ČTK.

"We want to demolish the existing footbridge and build a new permanent footbridge for pedestrians across the Svratka. It will be located approximately 45 meters upstream from the current structure designated for demolition. We expect it to become an important connection between the St. Elizabeth Hospice located on the Červený kopec and its surroundings across the river. In order to implement the project, it is necessary to conclude a contract with the Moravian River Authority, which manages the land affected by the construction," stated Mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS).

The construction of the new footbridge will take place in connection with the project to revitalize the Svratka River embankment, which includes flood protection measures. Construction work is expected to begin at the turn of this spring and summer, although the footbridge is anticipated to commence at the beginning of next year. "At this moment, we have only applied for a joint procedure; the procedure is currently suspended due to unresolved property contracts. It is estimated that securing the joint zoning and building permit, including the acquisition of legal force, should take about three months. Afterward, the selection of the contractor will take place, which can take about two months if everything goes smoothly. Therefore, the start of work would be aimed for early November. However, construction is not possible at that time due to the winter break. Hence, a timeline at the beginning of spring 2022 is more likely," Dudková said.

Access to the current footbridge has been blocked for about a year and a half by concrete barriers. It leads to a canceled pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Poříčí Street and Rybářská Street, which is set to be modified this year. The mouth of Rybářská Street will be widened to three lanes. A new sidewalk will be created on the eastern side of Rybářská Street, and the current one will be modified. An island will divide the intersection, allowing for both right and left turns. The pedestrian crossing will be moved to the new dividing island. The intersection will be secured with traffic lights.