However, anyone hoping for a new way to dodge rush-hour traffic will look for them in vain as they are new in name only.
Riga City Council's Development Committee on Wednesday endorsed a decision on the formal naming of the bridges known as the Southern Bridge (Dienvidu tilts) and Railway Bridge (Dzelzceļa tilts) across the Daugava.
From now on they will officially be known as... the Southern Bridge and the Railway Bridge.
The absolutely final decision on naming the bridges will still have to be adopted at yet another meeting after which council workmen will be given the okay to erect signs bearing the bridge names.
Riga's other bridges already have "official" names. The Shroud Bridge (Vanšu tilts) was officially given its moniker in 1989, Island Bridge (Salu tilts) was assigned a formal name in 1991 (it was formerly known as the Moscow Bridge) while the Stone Bridge (Akmens tilts) was re-christened in 1992, changing its name from the October Bridge.
While all are agreed that the Railway Bridge is the Railway Bridge, it may take a while before everyone refers to the Southern Bridge by its real name. It has entered the popular lexicon as the 'Golden Bridge', not because of the orange-ish coloration of its suspension system but because of the gargantuan cost of erecting it.
