The reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge in Prague has begun

Prague - The Prague Technical Road Administration (TSK) has started the reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge, which will last until 2025. Its first phase will take place under the bridge, will last more than a year, and will mean narrowing Modřanská street to one lane. Restrictions on the bridge itself will come starting in 2022, when traffic will be limited in both directions by one lane. Representatives of the municipality and TSK informed journalists today. The total cost of the reconstruction will be approximately 600 million crowns, according to the Deputy for Transport Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě).

The Barrandov Bridge connects Prague 4 and 5. It was built from 1978 to 1988, is over 340 meters long, and has eight traffic lanes and two sidewalks. It is part of the Prague Ring Road, and 144,000 cars pass over it daily.

The deputy stated that the first part of the bridge was completed in 1983 and the second five years later. "We have reached a stage where a general renovation is necessary," he said. The first part of the repair, which started today and will last until the end of November next year, concerns the lower part of the bridge, i.e., the foundations and pillars. Work will also take place on the Vltava River, either from a pontoon or with the help of divers. There will be a break during the winter. The costs for the first phase are 63 million crowns, according to Scheinherr.

The second phase of the repair will concern the bridge deck itself and the access ramps. Currently, there are four plus four lanes on the bridge; during the reconstruction, one lane in each direction will be removed. The deputy further stated that before the start of the repairs, reconstruction was successfully carried out on adjacent parts of the South Connector and Štěrboholská Radial, as well as increasing the capacity of the access and exit ramps to Modřanská street, including the intersection. "These are coordinated projects so that the impacts on traffic during the bridge reconstruction are minimized," he explained.

In connection with the planned construction of the Radlická Radial, which is to connect to the inner ring at the Barrandov Bridge, concerns have been raised about its inadequate capacity. According to the deputy, the city is currently investigating possibilities to expand the junction and allow more cars to pass through. "In my opinion, however, expansion within this structure is unrealistic," he said. Therefore, a new bridge would likely need to be constructed. "But that is really now in the stage of conceptual study," Scheinherr added.

Prague has long-standing problems with the condition of its bridges. In early December 2017, a footbridge between Císařský Island and Troja collapsed, injuring four people. A new footbridge is expected to be completed in October. The city recently also approved a complete reconstruction of the Libeň Bridge, and the Hlávkův and Palackého bridges are in poor condition as well. In addition, the municipality plans to build the Dvorecký Bridge between Podolí and Smíchov, and there are discussions about a new Rohanský Bridge that could connect Karlín and Holešovice.