The renowned Libeň Bridge, which spans across the Vltava River in Prague, has been confirmed to remain open despite significant issues with the neighboring flood bridge in Libeň. This decision relieves city commuters, as closing such a vital passage would have caused immense disruption.
The flood bridge was closed eleven days ago due to the discovery of cracks in its joints. The closure was announced on the same day of its inspection, which was carried out due to concerns arising from low temperatures. The assessment was performed by a designer who is thoroughly familiar with the structure.
The designer proposed several provisional support systems for the flood bridge. According to Josef Richtr from the city company’s management, there were four alternatives for temporary support. These included various placements of braces, filling the space under the arch with concrete, or other bridging options. However, no decision has been made yet.
“From our point of view, all are very financially and time-consuming,” Richtr noted. This indicates that the city faces a challenging decision between cost, effectiveness, and urgency.
The city’s Deputy Mayor, Zdeněk Hřib, suggested that the flood bridge be demolished soon. “The flood bridge must remain closed and cannot be supported. There is no provisional solution here,” Hřib stated. The flood bridge is due for another round of inspection this Wednesday.
The current flood bridge is set to be replaced with a lighter construction, a plan which was also part of a reconstruction project for the entire co-bridge running in Prague 8. This implies that demolition was always part of the plan, although, unfortunately, the bridge had to be closed a few months earlier than expected.
If the flood bridge is not supported and the construction of a new one is waited upon, it could mean a multi-year suspension of trams between Holešovice and Libeň. This would significantly impact the city’s public transportation system and daily commute for many Prague citizens.