Experts will evaluate the survey of the Libeň Bridge, and the conclusions will be published in the coming days

Prague - Experts will assess today the results of the survey of the Libeň Bridge over the Vltava River and the so-called flood bridge at Palmovka. The conclusions will be discussed internally on Tuesday with the Technical Administration of Communications (TSK) and the city, and only then will the findings be published. TSK spokesperson Barbora Lišková informed ČTK today. Last week, TSK's General Director Jozef Sinčák told ČTK that if the experts declare the condition of the currently closed flood bridge to be critical, TSK will begin preparations for its demolition and the construction of a new one. The historic bridge over the Vltava will remain open.

Two weeks ago, TSK closed the flood bridge to trams, pedestrians, and cyclists due to damage caused by frost. Experts discovered defects at the top joint. Joints ensure the transfer of forces from the bridge structure to the supports and pillars. The part of the bridge over the Vltava does not show serious problems and does not need to be closed.

The Libeň Bridge is a complex consisting of six bridges and was built according to the design of architect Pavel Janák in 1928. The bridge has never been repaired and is in very poor condition.

"The monitoring council for the Libeň Bridge is meeting this afternoon and will deal with the results of measurements from the previous days on the main bridge over the Vltava and the flood bridge. The conclusions of the expert council will be discussed internally by TSK representatives at Tuesday's meeting, and we will publish the results with further steps in the coming days," Lišková stated.

The monitoring council, a professional group, consists of designers, experts from the Klokner Institute of the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Brno University of Technology, and representatives of TSK and the contractor.

If experts declare that the flood bridge is in critical condition, TSK will begin preparations for its demolition, which could start in March and last approximately three to four months. After that, TSK would start construction of a new flood bridge. TSK already plans the construction of a new structure as part of the overall reconstruction of the Libeň bridge complex. Neither the demolition nor the construction will affect traffic on the main bridge over the river. The new flood bridge will be easily connected to the historic one until its repair is completed.

Currently, trams do not run along the entire length of the bridge, and pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles are also prohibited from using the flood bridge, which serves as a preventive measure against flooding. The bridge over the Vltava is not closed. Pedestrians and cyclists can bypass the closed section by using a footbridge to the Dock complex and Štorchova Street via the ramp onto the bridge.

Under the leadership of Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) from 2014 to 2018, the demolition of the Libeň Bridge and its replacement with a new structure was planned, but her successors decided on its repair. The consortium of companies that will repair the bridge is led by Metrostav TBR and includes the parent company Metrostav and the design firms SATRA and SHP. According to Sinčák's earlier statements, work could begin in the spring of 2025.