During the discussion, Transport Minister Tālis Linkaits said that the new combined or double-level road and rail bridge over the Daugava is an important connection in both the Rail Baltica project and the Latvian transport system as a whole. The priority section for the construction of Rail Baltica is from the Lithuanian border to the Riga airport and the Salaspils cargo terminal so that rail transport to Europe can start.
This bridge is also essential for connecting the Rīga bypass and building it in line with the existing traffic load, as well as creating the bypass as a modern highway, Linkaits psaid.
The technical director of RB Rail in Latvia, Ēriks Diļevs, said that the combined bridge over the Daugava is one of the most complex infrastructure solutions facing Rail Baltica, and in the current geopolitical situation has gained even more strategic importance in strengthening overall regional connectivity and mobility. Diļevs said that the basic solutions of the construction project have been developed, including the necessary geodesic work, as well as specific geotechnical research work in, under and around the Daugava. The closing phase of the construction project is now approaching.
The basic solutions of the building design shall include two separate road carriageways with two lanes in each direction and an additional stop lane at the level of the upper bridge, as well as a railway infrastructure for passenger and freight transport at the lowest level. The total length of the bridge is 1.15 kilometers.
The development of the Joint Bridge Construction Project is scheduled to be completed by the third quarter of 2023, with a view to starting the construction of the first round of the bridge at the end of the year following the funding of the Connecting Europe Facility for Military Mobility.
