On Friday, Riga City Council signed a contract for the reconstruction of the Vanšu (Suspension) Bridge, the municipality informed LETA.

As reported, the reconstruction of the Vanšu Bridge will cost EUR 69.8 million, according to information published in the Electronic Procurement System. The municipality selected the consortium Vanšu Tilts as the winner of the tender for the bridge’s reconstruction, design, and supervision. The consortium consists of Hanza Construction Group, Tilts, and Baltijas Mākslīgo Būvju Projektēšanas Birojs “Vektors T”.

However, another bidder contested the tender results at the Procurement Supervision Bureau. Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs (Progressives) said that if the contract had not been signed due to the dispute, the Vanšu Bridge would have had to be closed to traffic in 2027.

Riga City Council has now been informed by the Procurement Supervision Bureau that the complaint filed by the other bidder was unfounded. In line with the bureau’s decision, the municipality has signed the contract with Vanšu Tilts.

“Today we have signed the contract, which means that design and reconstruction work can now begin,” Kleinbergs said. He added that reconstruction of the bridge will start in 2027 in order to avoid closing the bridge to traffic.

The Vanšu Bridge is an important transport artery in Riga, and the municipality’s goal is to ensure the bridge’s safety without disrupting traffic in the city centre, Kleinbergs said.

As reported, Riga plans to borrow up to EUR 84.46 million for the reconstruction of the Vanšu (Suspension) Bridge, according to a draft decision approved by the City Council’s Financial and Administrative Affairs Committee.

The reconstruction of the Soviet-era suspension bridge will require up to EUR 6.7 million in 2026, up to EUR 42 million in 2027, and up to EUR 35.76 million in 2028.

The Vanšu Bridge is 593.6 metres long, with its main pylon reaching a height of 108.7 metres. The project includes resurfacing the carriageway, creating a divided pedestrian zone, and developing cycling infrastructure.

The project also предусматривает replacement of the suspension cables, with the total weight of the new cables reaching 385.5 tonnes.

Riga has a total of 145 bridges, overpasses, and pedestrian tunnels, some of which are in need of repair.

Source: BNS

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