<Přerov> will start building a new bridge next year for 24 million

Prerov - The banks of the Bečva River in Prerov should be connected by another new bridge next year. The design of the footbridge near the tennis courts has now been chosen by the city council from two proposed options. They opted for a bridge that will be safer in case of flooding. It should withstand a hundred-year flood. The existing 30-year-old footbridge was damaged by spring floods in 2010. The bridge is sagging, and the permit for its operation will expire next year. The new construction is estimated to cost around 24 million crowns. Thus, a second new bridge should emerge in Prerov in a short time. In May, Tyrš's bridge was opened.
     The new footbridge will ensure a connection to the recreational area of the local lagoons. "We presented two possible solution options to the city representatives. The first footbridge has cables, the second represents a suspended deck. To aid better decision-making, we compared both options across twelve criteria. We addressed, for instance, the risk of flooding and damage, comfort for pedestrians, cyclists, or inline skaters, lighting options, and so on," stated the designer Milan Kalný from the company Pontex.
     Both footbridges had a lifespan of one hundred years, did not interfere with the space of the natural monument Small Lagoon, allowed for a free corridor for safe bird passage, enabled emergency vehicle passage, and had similar cost estimates.
     The footbridge chosen by the Prerov leadership will be safer in case of flooding, which played a crucial role in the decision-making process. "While the suspended deck had a reserve above the river current increased to 0.90 meters, the hanging footbridge had this reserve at 1.60 meters," said Pavel Gala from the city development department.
     The city is also hurrying with the construction of the new bridge due to the condition of the existing footbridge, which was damaged by floods. Two years ago, engineers found that the footbridge was not in good condition and gave the city a three-year deadline for the replacement of the bridge or the construction of a new one. "The experts' permit will expire next year. Therefore, the deadline for constructing the new footbridge is planned for 2013," said city hall spokesperson Bohuslav Přidal today to ČTK. The construction of the new footbridge near the tennis courts is also included in the Prerov coalition's program declaration.
     At the beginning of May, a new Tyrš's bridge was opened near the center of Prerov. It too replaced a footbridge that was in poor condition. The construction cost 120 million crowns. It was the largest investment in the city in recent years. The bridge, designed by academic sculptor Alena Šrámková, is now receiving recognition even among experts. It is adorned with concrete trees and a large bison.