The Plzeň Region has completed the reconstruction of the historic bridge in Liblín

Liblín – The Plzeň Region has completed the complete reconstruction of the historically protected bridge over the Berounka River in Liblín in the Rokycany area. The bridge was in a state of disrepair. The Plzeň Region created a faithful replica of the nearly hundred-year-old historical structure with 21st-century parameters. The reconstruction, which began last year, cost about 110 million crowns, and the European IROP program covered 85 percent of eligible costs, said Pavel Čížek (STAN), the deputy governor for transport, to ČTK during the official completion of the reconstruction today.

The reinforced concrete arch bridge over the Berounka, built between 1927 and 1929, is the oldest of the three bridges connecting the banks of the Berounka between Plzeň and Křivoklát. It connects the municipalities of Liblín and Kozojedy on a class two road and is key for the transport service of part of northern Plzeň and Rokycany. Other bridges are in Dolany and Zvíkovec.

According to Čížek, the repair combined modern construction technologies with heritage protection requirements. The bridge has been a cultural monument since 2019. During the reconstruction, only the foundational pillars and arches were preserved; the rest of the bridge structure is new, significantly increasing the lifespan and load-bearing capacity of the bridge. "A replica was created that fully respects the original appearance and is approved by heritage experts. At the same time, it was repaired with modern technology to meet current parameters, especially load capacity," said Čížek. The bridge now has a roadway width of 6.5 meters, and the construction also includes a footpath for pedestrians.

"The new structure was designed so that the bridge has no weight restrictions, which is a fundamental difference from the original condition when traffic was limited to vehicles up to five tons. A major challenge was also ensuring transport service during construction, which was enabled by one of the longest temporary bridges in the Czech Republic," said Martin Vít, the technical director of the Plzeň Region Road Administration and Maintenance (SÚSPK). The temporary bridge was removed by the builders at the beginning of this year, and traffic was restored even while finishing construction work on the repaired bridge.

The project's bridge was created in 1926 by civil engineer Zdeněk Prošek, a specialist in the statics and construction of reinforced concrete structures. The bridge was built by the firm of the prominent interwar Beroun builder of transport and engineering structures, Emil Štěrba. Construction began in April 1927, and the bridge was ceremoniously opened on September 28, 1929. The costs at that time were 2.3 million crowns, according to an informational plaque that now commemorates its history and significance on the repaired bridge.

About six years ago, the region also repaired another bridge over the Berounka in Dolany near Chrást. The repair of the bridge from 1938 cost 46 million crowns.