The Czech capital Prague has cancelled a contract worth almost US$90 million to demolish old the Liben Bridge and build a replacement.
Instead, it will spend nearly $22 million to renovate and strengthen the existing bridge – Libensky Most .
Media reported that the bridge will have its frame replaced and will be strengthened during the renovation, following recommendations from the Czech Technical University’s Klokner Institute. Renovating the bridge will likely take around two years.
The Libeň Bridge, opened in 1928, is 37m long – the longest bridge in Prague. Its wide is 21 metres and the tram line is a part of the bridge since its opening. It has five arches with the spans between 28 and 43m. It replaced a temporary wooden bridge which had been around since 1903.
The bridge was slightly damaged by a flood in 2002. In 2016, a study by the university stated that the bridge needed restoration.
