The bridge on EuroVelo 4 in Karlovy Vary has been closed due to its critical condition, nine years after opening

The bridge for pedestrians and cyclists on U Brodu Street in the Tašovice district of Karlovy Vary has been closed since Monday, May 6th. The reason is its poor technical condition and the need for extensive repairs. The latest completion date is tentatively set for August 30th, but the city aims to expedite the repair work and reopen the bridge as soon as possible.

“After thorough analysis and inspection, in some areas of the bridge significant degradation of many elements and even critical conditions were found. In recent days, we have repeatedly had to secure and repair loose planks on the deck. Therefore, we are compelled to close the bridge immediately and commence the necessary and quite extensive repairs. We understand this will cause complications during the peak cycling season, but there is no other solution given the current situation. Unfortunately, due to the terrain, a temporary solution for crossing the river is not feasible,” explained city council member Petr Bursík (ODS).

Last year, the city commissioned an expert assessment of the bridge’s condition. The report concluded that it is necessary to clean and restore the anti-corrosion coatings on the bridge structure, treat corrosion-affected threads, replace decking affected by rot and wood-decaying fungi, complete the replacement of the upper handrails, and perform comprehensive impregnation of the wooden railing. The city will entrust the steel structure repairs to a specialist firm, while the replacement and treatment of wooden elements will be handled by the municipal organization Lázeňské lesy a parky Karlovy Vary.

The footbridge on U Brodu Street, connecting the local roads of Svatošská Street and v Chatách, was built in 2015 as part of the Ohře Cycle Path on the international EuroVelo 4 route. The extensive repair costs will amount to approximately 1.6 million CZK. The city plans to finance the repair using a grant from the Karlovy Vary Region as part of its program to support the development of cycling infrastructure. The grant could cover 80% of the costs.

During the closure and repair of the footbridge on U Brodu Street, cyclists, as well as pedestrians, will have to use the path on Sokolská Street in Tašovice or go through Doubí and Svatošská Street, which have challenging profiles and terrains.

A bridge in critical condition after only nine years?

Why did the bridge reach a critical condition just nine years after its completion? Helena Kyselá, the spokesperson for the Karlovy Vary City Hall, explains to Městem na kole: „The critical condition is exhibited by the wooden elements, especially the planks on the bridge deck, which were made from spruce wood. This wood degrades more quickly under demanding climatic conditions, causing the planks to warp and loosen. Therefore, they will be replaced with planks made from larch wood. We decided to take advantage of the situation where the wooden elements will be removed, providing easier access to the structure, to carry out repairs on the structure, anti-corrosion coating, and similar works that would otherwise be needed in a year or two.“