Trams Should Start Crossing Bratislava's Old Bridge in Early July
Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) – Trams with passengers should start travelling across Bratislava’s reconstructed Old Bridge in early July, TASR learnt from Bratislava Regional Government (BSK) spokesperson Lucia Forman on Friday.
BSK has launched the final inspection of the tram line on the Old Bridge and in Petrzalka. A hearing connected to the site inspection is set to take place on May 26.
The site inspection will demonstrate whether the construction work has been carried out in line with project documentation based on which the construction permit was issued. It will also show whether any changes occurred during the construction work and whether the work meets all technical parameters stipulated by law.
“If nothing serious that could hamper operations is found on the above structure, BSK can issue a decision for a trial run,” said Forman. If positive opinions from all authorities concerned are available to BSK as of May 26 along with all the necessary documentation provided by the designer – the Slovak capital represented by a company called METRO Bratislava – permission for temporary use and a trial run could be issued on Monday, May 30, added Forman.
The decision will be published on BSK’s electronic noticeboard, as well as on the noticeboards of the Slovak capital and its Old Town and Petrzalka boroughs for 15 days. “The final day of this period is when a public announcement will be made. The parties concerned will then have 15 days to appeal against the decision. Only then will BSK be able to confirm that the decision is valid and launch a trial run in early July,” explained Forman.
If no serious flaws are found on the tram line on the Old Bridge and in Petrzalka that could threaten the safety of passengers and of road traffic, BSK will issue the final inspection decision for a trial run that will last a maximum of one year. At the end of this period the construction office will issue a final inspection decision concerning permanent operations.
Pedestrians and cyclists should be able to cross the Old Bridge in mid-May. “We have three final inspection decisions, and the deadline for appeals will expire on May 15. If nobody appeals against the decisions, cyclists and pedestrians should be able to cross the Old Bridge as early as two or three days after May 15,” said Bratislava mayor Ivo Nesrovnal.
The construction work on the first part of the light rail project to Petrzalka was completed on December 15, 2015. The city then applied for the launch of final inspection proceedings. The first of these concerning the Old Bridge began on January 20. Proposals for issuing final inspection decisions related to other structures were then filed.
