A petition has been created to replace the bridge at Prague's Výtoň with a new structure

Prague – In support of the position of the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians Active in Construction (ČKAIT) regarding the railway bridge at Prague's Vyšehrad, which it believes should be replaced with a new structure rather than just repaired, an online petition has been created. The organizer is the Foundation Fund Most, which was established at the end of last year, and it has so far been supported by about 1,100 people. The Railway Administration (SŽ) initially wanted to replace the bridge over the Vltava with a new structure, but after criticism and long discussions, the then Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS) decided last September to instead prepare for a reconstruction.

"In this specific case, reason should take precedence over emotions. The new structure was chosen as the most suitable solution in a transparent and regular competitive dialogue conducted in accordance with the public procurement law. Moreover, the new bridging can be realized very quickly at significantly lower financial costs than uncertain attempts to restore what cannot be renewed," said the chairman of ČKAIT, Robert Špalek.

According to the engineering chamber, the reconstruction of the steel bridge over the Vltava would not guarantee results, its lifespan would be at most half that of a new bridge, and it would be at least two billion crowns more expensive. About 60 percent of the bridge's elements, according to the chamber's statement, would have to be replaced, and the planned new structure with a third track would also disrupt the heritage value of the bridge.

According to the petition organizers, it is the authorized engineers who bear the responsibility for the safety, reliability, and operability of the bridge, not the lay public or activist groups. "And they (the authorized engineers) demand that decision-making not be influenced by political or other pressures, but rather based on expert analysis and long-term public interest," the petition's organizers stated in the introduction.

According to the registry data, the chairman of the board of the petition organizer, the Foundation Fund Most, is architect Jaroslav Wertig. He was a member of the evaluation committee for the competition that produced the original design, which planned to replace the bridge, and had previously expressed support for its replacement in the media. Another former member of the competition committee, civil engineer Václav Jandáček, is also on the board.

The SŽ evaluated the international competition for further solutions for the bridge between Výtoní and Smíchov at the end of 2022. The evaluation committee selected a proposal that considered replacing the heritage-protected bridge structure with a new one with three tracks using the existing pillars. This was followed by a wave of criticism from heritage protectors, local authorities, and associations. Despite the disputes, SŽ continued with the design of the original plan, and Kupka then decided, under pressure from critics, that SŽ would announce a new international architectural competition for the reconstruction.