TSK canceled the tender for the project to repair the Libeň Bridge and will announce a new one

Prague - The Prague company Technical Administration of Communications (TSK) has canceled the tender for the company that was supposed to develop the reconstruction project of the Libeň Bridge. Only one applicant registered for it, who did not meet the requirements, TSK spokesperson Barbora Lišková told ČTK today. According to the spokesperson, the company will announce a new tender that will cover both the development of the project and the execution of repairs. According to the mayor's deputy Adam Scheinherr (Prague for Itself), combining both contracts should adhere to the planned schedule. The bridge, built in 1928, is in poor condition and has never been repaired.

"In the first round of the tender, where qualification requirements are assessed, only one participant applied, who did not meet the required qualification prerequisites set out in the tender documentation," the spokesperson stated. The tender was announced by the company according to the public procurement bulletin in May.

Now, TSK wants to announce the tender using the so-called Design & Build method, the spokesperson further indicated. "This simply means that the contractor for the construction is also its designer," she explained. The competition will be announced not only for the repair of the bridge over the Vltava River but also for other bridges that connect to it and form the Libeň Bridge complex. According to Lišková, the original demolition project of the bridge, which the current city leadership canceled and for which valid building permits already exist, should be utilized as much as possible.

According to Deputy Scheinherr, the city set the conditions quite strictly in the original tender, so out of eight companies that expressed interest, only Pragoprojekt ultimately submitted a bid. However, even that company did not meet the conditions, which included the experience of the company and the main designer with the construction or complete reconstruction of a similarly large bridge over the river.

The Design & Build method, also known as yellow fidic, will have the advantage of shorter time and the fact that designers will be able to directly consult the procedure with builders during the preparation. The city plans to start so-called market consultations at the end of September, which serve to map the situation in the market. The largest construction companies will be approached, and others will be able to apply themselves. "Subsequently, a public contract would be announced sometime after the New Year, and I estimate that by the middle of the year it should be awarded," said the deputy. He added that the contract will newly include adjustments to the bridgehead at Rohanský Island, which were originally to be addressed as a separate project.

The previous political representation planned to replace the bridge with cubist elements with a new, wider one. The new coalition of Pirates, Prague for Itself, and United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN) rejected that and chose the path of reconstruction. It is expected to last from September 2022 to April 2025 and cost 560 million crowns.

According to experts, the chosen repair variant will increase the structure's lifespan by at least 50 years. The solution primarily involves replacing the bridgehead structures, which are in poor condition due to corrosion, and reinforcing the arch section. According to the conclusions of the Klokner Institute of CTU, this is a compromise solution in terms of costs, the required closure period for the bridge, and traffic capacity. The repaired structure will be able to carry bi-directional tram traffic, passenger cars, and trucks up to 32 tons.

The Libeň Bridge had to be temporarily closed to cars and public transport last year due to its emergency state. It is not the only Prague bridge in poor condition; at the beginning of December 2017, a footbridge between Císařský Island and Troja even collapsed. Four people were injured in the incident. Several bridges over the Vltava River are in poor condition, including the Libeň Bridge, Hlávkův Bridge, Legií Bridge, and Palackého Bridge. The city, through TSK, has initiated their diagnostics, as well as that of the cable-stayed bridge on the South Connection. The diagnostics and reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge are also being prepared.