Construction of Poland's longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge has officially begun. The crossing from Praga to Powiśle will facilitate communication between the two districts. However, the location of the footbridge is controversial, and much needed investments are still waiting for better times.
Since the beginning of the year, preparations were underway on Warsaw's Praga bank of the Vistula River for the construction of the new bridge and the site for the investment - the area was being cleaned up, trees colliding with the bridge were cut down and those in the vicinity were secured. Basic construction work has just begun. This will be the first crossing of this type over the Vistula River in the capital, the pedestrian and bicycle bridge will connect the two banks of the river and link the Boulevards with Praga at the level of Karowa Street on the left bank and S. Okrzei on the right bank. Construction will take more than two years.
Photo: Warsaw City Hall
foundations
Work begins on the Praga side of the river. The first stage is piling, i.e. creating the foundations of the future bridge. Its construction will be based on 7 reinforced concrete supports. The laying of foundations for the first of them has just begun - 43 piles for the first support have already been driven over the past few days. In the following days piles for other supports will appear. The first work on the bridge abutment on the left bank of the Vistula will also begin.
Photo: UM Warszawa / E. Lach
Progress on the construction site can be followed via the website mostnaprage.waw.pl, where information on the project and detailed plans can also be found.
Revitalization
The bridge under construction is part of the activities jointly included in the New Center of Warsaw program, which aims to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the capital's downtown. Under the program, infrastructure investments are being made, streets are being rebuilt and public spaces such as the Five Corners Square and the Dmowski Roundabout are being modernized.
The footbridge is expected to give impetus to further changes on the Praga side of the Vistula River. Warsaw councilors decided on funds for further revitalization of the right bank areas on March 17. The reconstruction of S. Okrzei Street will be carried out by the City Roads Administration in cooperation with, among others, the Office of Architecture and Spatial Planning. There will be more greenery on S. Okrzei Street, bicycle infrastructure, new, wider and elegant sidewalks and small architecture. The project is scheduled for completion in 2022-2024, as is the construction of a new bridge.
Poland's longest
Photo: Warsaw City Hall
Thedesign of the footbridge was selected in a competition held in 2017. At the time, the first prize was awarded to the Schuessler-Plan Inżynierzy Sp. z o.o. team from Warsaw, consisting of Dirk Krolikowski, Falko Schmitt, Justyna Grzesiak, Wioletta Zdziraska, Frank Ehrlicher, Piotr Piotrkowicz, Andrzej Piniaha and Zbigniew Wichański. The project was awarded for its restrained and elegant form, fitting into the landscape of this part of the city. The new crossing, the longest of its kind in Poland, will be as long as 452 meters and 127 meters longer than London's Millennium Bridge. The bridge will serve pedestrians and cyclists and will be built by 2024.
Photo: UM Warsaw / E. Lach
