The temporary bridge on an important north-south route near the Estonian border is intended to be in use until the autumn of next year, when the new bridge is planned to be completed.
The carrying capacity of the temporary bridge is up to 52 tonnes. Traffic on it will be organized in the same way as on the old bridge until now with traffic lights giving priority in alternating directions. A 1.5-meter-wide sidewalk is provided for pedestrian and cyclist traffic. The roadway of the bridge is 4.5 meters wide.
The load-bearing capacity of the temporary bridge was tested August 28 using heavy trucks and found to be fit for operation.
After the traffic is switched over, the builder will start dismantling the old bridge, which is planned to be fully completed within three months. At the same time, the construction of bored piles for the foundations of the new bridge's pillars will begin. It is planned that the works will continue through the winter despite harsh conditions.
Last summer, the poor technical condition of the Salacas Bridge in Salacgrīvā, which is part of the international road "Via Baltica", attracted the attention of not only local but also neighboring countries, as the Estonian Department of Transport asked Latvian colleagues to consider the situation.
The existing bridge is almost 65 years old.
If you would like to keep abreast of where there are currently roadworks on Latvia's national road network to help you plan your journeys, you can do so using Latvian State Roads' useful interactive map here.
