ČKAIT: The decision on the reconstruction of the Výtoň Bridge is incorrect

Prague - The decision of Interior Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) regarding the reconstruction of the Vltava bridge in Prague is incorrect, biased, politically motivated, and ignores the opinions of competent experts. The Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians in Construction (ČKAIT) stated this in a press release today. According to the chamber, Kupka disregarded the opinions of those who will be responsible for the work, namely authorized engineers and the bridge's administrator, which is the Railway Administration (SŽ).

On Tuesday, Kupka announced at a press conference that SŽ would abandon the original plan to replace the structure and instead repair the bridge at Výtoň, as requested by associations, heritage organizations, local governments, and the UNESCO committee. The repairs will take place on the riverbank, and a temporary single-track structure will be placed on the piers during the work. SŽ will announce an international architectural competition for the reconstruction, completion of another bridge with a third track, and a stop on the Výtoň side of the river.

"We feel that politicians, art historians, and influencers had a greater influence on the decision than construction engineers and bridge structure specialists. By adopting this solution, we are heading in the same direction as in the case of the Libeň bridge, that is, toward further discussions about the technical solution, delays in the bridge's construction, and the associated increase in project costs," said ČKAIT Chairman Robert Špalek. Chamber representatives estimate that the total cost of construction and maintenance over the 100-year lifespan could be up to four times higher than that of building a new bridge.

According to the chamber, those bound by professional or ownership responsibility, namely designers, builders, and contractors, should have the main say in such a specialized topic. "Criminal liability for the proposed technical solution and execution of the construction, its reliability and safety throughout the usage period, which is 100 years in the case of a bridge, can legally be borne only by authorized engineers, responsible designers, and site managers," Špalek stated. According to him, ignoring the opinions of responsible parties is completely unacceptable.

The reconstruction of the bridge itself will then be very problematic according to the chamber, and with the requirement for the structure's lifespan to extend another 100 years, it could be unsolvable. "From the perspective of building law, the repair of the bridge will be classified as new construction, for which all legal requirements for obtaining a permit for its realization must be met; due to the location of the bridge, we especially mention health standards," said Michal Drahorád, vice-chairman of the ČKAIT board and bridge construction expert. He added that the existing bridge does not meet modern standards at all.

On Tuesday, the decision was also criticized by representatives of 2T engineering, which succeeded in an earlier SŽ competition with a proposal to replace the bridge, and the team of companies SUDOP Prague and TOP CON SERVIS, which prepared the project documentation for it. They believe the state prioritized heritage protection and conservation considerations over all others. Conversely, the chosen approach was supported by representatives of associations and the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ).