More than €70 million is still needed to carry it out.
Rail Baltica Railway Bridge over the Daugava is being built parallel to the existing Railway Bridge. The new bridge will be on the Central market side. A total of 15 spans will be built over Daugava. There will be two tracks on the bridge that will be slightly higher than the adjacent Railway Bridge. This is to preserve the ability for boats to pass underneath, said Guntis Āboltiņš-Āboliņš, CEO of the builder company BERERIX.
"We'll build a support and then with a balancing method, spans will be concreted on both sides. It's unique for a railway bridge in a way. Of course, the shape and architecture of the bridge itself also require much, much more attention and precision. These are the main differences. There may be many risks. Two world wars have gone over the place. Attention needs to be paid. We are doing everything we can to mitigate these risks, but there may be surprises here that can affect construction, but it's too early to say right now," Āboltiņš-Āboliņš said.
At present there is enough money for a small part of the bridge. How do those responsible hope to raise money and is there a risk of a bridge to nowhere in Rīga?
The company “European Railway Lines” (Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas) explained that EUR 20 million is currently available, which will allow the construction of 2.5 spans, expected to be completed next year.
Building the entire bridge, which is expected to be completed in 2027-2028, requires an additional €70 million, which "has already been applied for in the European Union", the company's chief executive, Kaspars Vingris, said.
