The project of the new railway bridge at Výton will cost 128.7 million crowns

Prague - The controversial new three-track bridge over the Vltava River at Prague's Výtoň will be designed for the Railway Administration (SŽ) by the companies SUDOP Prague and TOP CON SERVIS for 128.7 million CZK. This was reported by the spokesperson for the administration, Nela Eberl Friebová, in a press release to ČTK. The structure is intended to replace the current architecturally protected steel bridge, which is in a state of emergency, while preserving the pillars. Local authorities, heritage conservationists, and civic groups are demanding a reconstruction instead of a replacement.

SŽ plans for the construction of the bridge to take place between 2026 and 2029, with total costs expected to reach 3.4 billion crowns. In 2021, the administration announced an international architectural competition for the future solution of the bridge, which was won by the firm 2T engineering with a proposal for a new three-track structure. The plan also includes the construction of a train stop at Výtoň, as the new third track is intended for suburban trains.

According to the administration, the new bridge, with a lifespan of 100 years, will reduce maintenance costs, and the architectural competition included a heritage aspect. "Part of the assignment was a requirement that the design of the new bridge does not disrupt the visual integrity of the site, which is part of the Prague Heritage Reserve," the organization stated. The existing steel structure is planned to be moved upstream of the Vltava, where it will serve as a footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists between Modřany and Velká Chuchle if the new bridge is built.

The intention to replace the current bridge from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries with a new one has sparked a wave of criticism, with the municipal authorities of Prague 1 and 5, the city hall, the National Heritage Institute, and the organization Nebourat opposing it. The Railway Administration is also in discussions with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarding the replacement of the structure, which is iconic for the Prague skyline, and representatives of UNESCO visited Prague last December for this reason.

Recently, a study was created by an international team of experts on so-called riveted bridge structures commissioned by the Vyšehrad Bridge Rescue Foundation, backed by entrepreneurs Tomáš Bistřický, Martin Vohánka, and Jan Barta. According to the study, it is possible to repair the existing bridge so that the work, including preparations, will take four years and cause minimal traffic disruption. The third track can be supplemented, according to the proposal, with an addition of a narrow platform to the side of the bridge.

Jan Havlíček, spokesperson for the foundation, told ČTK today that the proposal for building a new bridge has not yet received any positive response, and according to his information, no one has yet requested a key statement from heritage conservationists. "In a situation where an effective option for reconstruction and completion exists, we believe that the option of removing the historic bridge cannot pass through the permitting process. A logical step would be to commission project documentation for the repair of the bridge," he stated.

He added that Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) stated in the media that he would not allow the continuation of preparation for the new construction without UNESCO's consent. "We look forward to discussing the new repair option in detail at the upcoming meeting with the representatives of SŽ and the Minister," he concluded.

The railway bridge at Výtoň was put into operation on August 15, 1872. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it was replaced by the bridge that spans the Vltava to this day. Experts consider the structure to be an important technical cultural monument within the Prague Heritage Reserve. Currently, traffic on the bridge is significantly restricted due to its condition.