The construction of the Krejcar Bridge in Sokolov, which costs almost 70 million CZK, is delayed again

Sokolov - The construction of the Krejcar footbridge in Sokolov, costing nearly 70 million crowns, has experienced further delays. The contractor has requested an extension of the completion deadline and an increase in price due to deficiencies in the project, as well as rising energy and construction costs. The investor, which is the Ministry of Finance, is currently considering the contractor's request, informed ČTK spokesperson Filip Běhal. The opening date for the footbridge, which will connect the city center with the South Quarries area, is still unknown.

The contractual completion and handover deadline was January 17. "The contractor requested a change in the obligation of the contract due to minor technical deficiencies in the railing and one of the side ramps, and at the same time is requesting an increase in the price of the work due to inflationary increases in energy and construction costs," the spokesperson stated. The ministry is now addressing the contractor's request in accordance with the Public Procurement Act.

The completion deadline has already been postponed several times. The original non-compliant bridge was demolished at the end of 2020, and the construction of the new footbridge began a year later. At the beginning of the construction, work was complicated by restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, and last year it was the impacts of the war in Ukraine. The city received a notice last spring about force majeure, meaning unforeseen obstacles that could affect the completion of the work. Project errors also caused delays. According to the original plans, the bridge was supposed to be completed last year.

The suspended steel footbridge still requires the completion of railings and infills. The construction company conducted a load test that confirmed slight oscillation of the side ramp. The designer is now preparing measures to eliminate excessive oscillation. It is still unclear when people will first walk on the footbridge. "Given the submitted request for a change in the obligation of the contract and its approval process, it is currently impossible to predict a specific opening date for the footbridge to the public," Běhal stated.

The original price for the footbridge according to the project was 58 million crowns. Current costs, including additional work, are around 68 million crowns. The construction of the footbridge is funded by the ministry from a state program that helps mitigate ecological damage from mining in the Ústí and Karlovy Vary regions. Sokolov, whose costs were initially two million crowns, is financially contributing to public lighting and the access ramp, which will connect the bridge with the bike path.