Pedestrians have returned to the footbridge in Kynšperk nad Ohří after annual repairs

Kynšperk nad Ohří – In Kynšperk nad Ohří, the restoration of the foreland of the historical footbridge over the Ohře is concluding. According to Mayor Marek Matoušek (independent), the construction has been handed over for preliminary use, and after a year, pedestrians have returned to it, he told ČTK. The ceremonial opening of the footbridge, originally planned for July, has been postponed to September or October.

Cyclists and paddlers will have to wait a few more days for unrestricted passage. The contractor still needs to install the railings and complete all landscaping around the construction. The project has extended by about three months compared to the original schedule. However, the price has remained unchanged according to Matoušek, approximately 24 million crowns, of which four million was contributed to the city by the Karlovy Vary Region in the form of a subsidy. Kynšperk, with about 5,000 inhabitants and an annual budget of around one hundred million, took out a loan for most of the repairs, financing only part of the construction from its own funds.

"The footbridge is officially open for pedestrians. However, since the construction is not yet fully completed and has not been approved, safety rules set by the contractor must be followed. There is construction equipment moving on the footbridge, there are temporary railings, surfaces are still being finished, and concrete work and curbs are being done," described the mayor. Therefore, cyclists can continue to use the designated detour route over the road bridge, or they must dismount from their bikes and walk them across the footbridge.

Repairs of the foreland began with the demolition of the original expired concrete blocks last September. The construction also included temporary piping of the left arm of the Ohře River. Thus, paddlers were forced to carry their boats through the area for the entire season, which was not originally in the schedule. "However, the construction work was delayed, among other reasons due to prolonged frosts and the high water level of the Ohře River. Technological breaks also caused delays. The city approved the extension of the deadline as justified," said the mayor to ČTK.

According to him, in the early stages of implementation, the project changed due to the requirements of the Ohře River Basin. The staircase to the island, which was supposed to be entirely made of metal construction, had to be partly cast in concrete to withstand objects caught during floods. "We were worried that the lower part of the stairs, which expands, would look like a concrete monolith. But in the end, the stairs have rounded edges and they fit quite well there," the mayor noted.

For next year, the city plans minor repairs and maintenance of the covered wooden footbridge. In addition to painting and replacing damaged boards, the bridge will also see the renewal of public lighting and the replacement of broken roof tiles. According to Matoušek, stronger winds damaged them in the past week. The city also utilized the presence of experts – bridge engineers, and had the technical condition of the pillars under the footbridge inspected. The project will also include modifications to the island, where additional pathways will be added.

The covered wooden footbridge replaced the original reinforced concrete bridge destroyed at the end of the war by the retreating German army in 1947. The wooden section, 63 meters long, is the second longest in the Czech Republic. According to the mayor, it is the longest footbridge in the Czech Republic supported by only two pillars. Its current form dates back to 1950.