During the repair of Hlávkův bridge, the sidewalks and roadways will be paved with asphalt

Prague - During the reconstruction of Hlávkův Bridge, the stone pavement will disappear from the roadway, to be replaced by asphalt, while the sidewalks will be newly paved. Additionally, the bridge will gain barrier-free access on Štvanice and the right bank. Part of the bridge over the lock chamber will be demolished and replaced by a new structure. This was announced to journalists today by Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě). The council approved an architectural-technical study, based on which the Technical Administration of Communications will announce a public contract. The monumentally protected Hlávkův Bridge serves for road and tram transport; this heavily used structure, approximately 110 years old, is in poor condition.

One of the largest interventions will be the demolition of part of the bridge leading over the navigation channel. "Since this bridge is in very poor technical condition, its demolition and the construction of a new structure is proposed," Scheinherr said. As the new bridge will be more slender, the so-called clearance height for boats will be increased from the current 4.8 to 5.25 meters.

The aforementioned part consists of three bridge structures. According to the deputy, all three must be demolished. In the future, this will happen in phases so that traffic does not have to be halted. The bridge will always be partially passable, with two-thirds open to traffic during the reconstruction.

Repairs will also be needed on adjacent structures from the early 20th century, to which one parallel structure was later added. All are connected by panels on which the tram line runs. Repairs in this part will also be carried out gradually. Tram traffic will be interrupted, but not car traffic. However, this will happen no sooner than 2025, when the closure and repairs on the nearby Libeň Bridge are completed.

The surfaces will also change, with cobblestone heads disappearing from the roads and replaced by asphalt. Conversely, typical Prague paving will replace asphalt on the sidewalks. A separate lane for cyclists will also be created. The forecourt of the bridge will be rebuilt, with the Holesovice side being addressed concurrently with the construction of the planned Philharmonic building at Vltavská. The underpasses on the other bank will be modified, being widened and opened towards the river. "It will no longer be such a bleak environment, smelly, but airy," said Scheinherr. Access will also be barrier-free at Štvanice.

The TSK will announce the contract under the so-called design&build regime, where the selected company will provide the city with the project and subsequently carry out the work. According to Scheinherr, the contractor could be selected next year. The project will first be completed, and then the tender winner will ensure all necessary documents, including the building permit. The repair will then begin with the relocation of utility networks into the already built underground collector.

The city hall has been preparing the bridge repair for several years. The project was ready in 2018, but at that time it was rejected by preservationists due to the demolition of the bridge arches, causing delays in the work.

The monumentally protected Hlávkův Bridge, composed of several parts, is the 13th bridge from the south of Prague and serves for road and tram transport. The reinforced concrete bridge was built in two stages between 1909 and 1912 and was opened on February 6, 1912. It was expanded in the years 1958 to 1962. Since its inception, it has not been renamed. Nearly 70,000 cars cross it daily.