Czech Krumlov will begin repairing the bridge near the brewery in April

Cesky Krumlov - Cesky Krumlov will begin repairing the bridge near the brewery on April 1. The work will cost 3.1 million crowns. The bridge will be closed for two and a half months, and after the reconstruction, which is set to finish on June 19, it will be six meters shorter. The repair may still be postponed or canceled if the Swietelsky construction company does not have enough workers due to government restrictions related to the coronavirus. This was stated today by the city hall spokesperson Petra Nestávalová. The Swietelsky construction company plans to start the repair as scheduled, said the company's production and technical director František Fryš.

The temporary bridge near the brewery is in a state of emergency, and since last summer, heavier vehicles have been prohibited from using it. This bridge is the only possible access for these vehicles to enter the historical center of the town.

Workers will build a new support and repair the structure. During the work, the bridge will be closed to all traffic. "The central support of the temporary bridge will be removed from the riverbed, and the overall length of the structure will be reduced by six meters," stated the mayor Dalibor Carda (SN-City for All) in a press release.

Workers will also strengthen the structures to the required load capacity, which has been reduced since last summer due to the sinking of the pillar. "In July last year, the load capacity of the bridge had to be reduced; the pillar moved quite significantly," said the spokesperson. A new left bank support will be created on micropiles that will be anchored in the rocky substrate. The support will be made of reinforced concrete, and the bank will be stabilized with stones.

The bridge will be closed from April 1 to June 19. The detour will lead through the streets of Latrán and Pivovarská. "The route goes through the narrow Budějovická gate, so we advise drivers to be particularly cautious while passing through," said the mayor.

The situation in the Czech Republic regarding the coronavirus and the government restrictions affecting employers may still influence the work. The city hall is currently counting on the repairs. "It depends on whether the contractor will have enough workers, whether they won't be sick or in quarantine," said Nestávalová.

According to Fryš, the Swietelsky construction company has not halted any projects nor does it plan to stop starting new ones. "We rely heavily on our own capacities and personnel. We do have subcontractors, and we use foreign workers from Slovakia and Ukraine to a limited extent," said Fryš.

Krumlov will also repair other bridges. Before the start of the tourist season, it plans to renovate the protected wooden bridge Rechle, whose shingle roof is in a state of emergency. The costs will be 1.95 million crowns, and the work is expected to take a month. Within two years, the city hall will also repair the Lazebnický bridge, which has been affected by wood-destroying fungi. This bridge is a cultural monument, connecting the town center with the castle and chateau.

Cesky Krumlov, with a population of around 13,000, is operating this year with a budget that has balanced revenues and expenses of 400 million crowns. For capital expenses, including investments, the city hall planned 70 million crowns.