The Riga City Council is not clear about the future of the Altonava Street bridge over the railway

Opposition MP Vadims Falkovs (S) had asked to include the issue in the agenda. He wanted to hear the department’s report on what happened and asked if the Department of Space and Mobility had any options for how to proceed once the special review was completed.

He was presented with the course of events and informed that the results of the examination should be known by the beginning of May. The deputy did not receive an answer about what the next course of action could be, for example, whether it will be necessary to continue “patching” the dangerous bridge or if other solutions will have to be sought.

As reported, the Altonava Street overpass was built in 1910 and has served its time. The bridge is located on the planned “Rail Baltica” track, during the construction of which the outdated overpass was supposed to be demolished and a tunnel built in its place.

However, taking into account the problems with financing the construction of the “Rail Baltica” route, the municipality currently does not have information about the possible implementation of the project.

Last week, the bridge was deemed unsafe and closed to traffic. After a general inspection, traffic for vehicles up to five tons was restored. Freight transport, on the other hand, may not use the bridge, as well as route 25, 55 and 56 buses will continue to bypass the closed bridge, crossing the railway at the Liepājas iela crossing, which is located near the Paula Stradins Clinical University Hospital.

The special inspection will be carried out in the next three weeks.