Daugavpils signs €7.2m contract to rebuild bridge — LSM English
In Daugavpils, Latvia, a €7.2 million contract has been signed for the reconstruction of the Vienības Bridge across the Daugava. The work is planned for the warm seasons of 2027 and 2028, LSM English reports.
The tender was won by the VBB consortium, which includes Viadukts and Baltijas būve. It offered the lowest price among the three bidders. The Vienības Bridge was opened in 1935: it connects the banks of the Daugava — Daugavpils and Grīva.
Temporary bridge for traffic
Before reconstruction begins, the city must install a temporary steel bridge near the railway bridge, opposite the Daugavpils water treatment plant. It will have two three-metre-wide lanes and lighting. City authorities expect to install the structure this year in order to test how it behaves on the river without traffic loads. If the bridge cannot be installed in autumn, the work will be postponed until spring after the flood.
Traffic in both directions is planned to be routed over the temporary bridge. The Vienības Bridge will retain access for emergency services, public transport, pedestrians, garbage trucks and passenger cars, though drivers are advised to use the temporary crossing. Trucks will be directed along other routes, including via the Svente Bridge. Roundabouts will also be built near the temporary bridge on both banks of the Daugava.
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On the Vienības Bridge, builders will work alternately on different sections, while traffic will be regulated by traffic lights. The exact date for transferring traffic to the temporary bridge has not yet been determined: the contract provides for the possibility of a technical break, including due to high water levels or ice drift.
What will be upgraded on the Vienības Bridge
During the reconstruction, the asphalt, protective concrete layer, fencing and lighting will be dismantled. Damaged concrete slabs will also be replaced, while the lower structural layer, waterproofing, surface, curbs, granite paving, barriers, railings and lighting will be restored. According to the municipality, up to 50% of the concrete slabs are damaged in some places.
The bridge piers in the Daugava will be preserved: an underwater inspection confirmed their technical suitability. After reconstruction, the carriageway will become slightly narrower, while the sidewalks will be widened to two metres to make them more convenient to use, including for people with strollers.
