The Ministry of Transport agrees to the repair of the Josef Straka bridge in Mělník

Mělník - The Ministry of Transport agrees with the repair of the Josef Straka Bridge in Mělník, the so-called old bridge over the Elbe. This will likely secure the city a grant from the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI), which will cover part of the costs, said Mělník's deputy mayor Milan Schweigstill at today's press conference. The work is estimated to cost 30 million crowns. The costs not covered by the grant will be paid by the city.

The repair of the Straka Bridge will begin once this year's several-month reconstruction of the so-called new bridge, which carries Road 16, is completed. It is being prepared by the Directorate of Roads and Highways. It should start in the spring, but the exact date has not yet been determined; currently, the shape of the detour routes is being addressed. This will bring a significant burden on the old bridge in Mělník. "We will not allow any freight traffic on it," the deputy mayor stated. Currently, two buses are already prohibited from meeting in the space between the pillars.

According to the deputy mayor, the Directorate of Waterways had previously expressed interest in raising the bridge, which would allow larger ships to pass underneath. However, the city does not want to wait for this project because the bridge is in poor technical condition.