At the next meeting, the Riga City Council will decide on the repurchase of current properties on the route, where in the future it is planned to connect the South Bridge and Vienibas gatve or Jāņa Čakstes gatve. The purchase of land requires about one million euros, and the city council informs the media that the construction of the highway will start next year. True, Riga has not found the necessary more than one hundred million euros, so the promise to start construction will remain unfulfilled.
The promised connection of the South Bridge with Vienibas gatve will not be this year or nextEdgars Kupčs00:00 / 03:25
–Two and a half years ago, it was reported that despite the delays, the connection of the South Bridge with the Jelgava highway was promised already in 2020. The construction of this highway was one of the promises of the previous Riga management before the municipal elections, claiming that the construction of the connection section of the South Bridge with Valdeķu Street will start in 2018, but then continue to Vienibas gatve. Although Emil Jakrin, the acting head of the Traffic Department, had to admit the delay, he claimed that the connection would be ready by this year. “(..) It should be completed in 2021, but we will probably finish in 2020 as well,” Jakrin said earlier.
However, in the promised year of completion, the shovels did not reach the ground at all. In addition, work is continuing on the repurchase of property, which will be decided by the Town Hall at the next council meeting.
Legal matters should be settled within a reasonable time, and the council estimates that in total the purchase of land will have to spend over one million euros. In a statement sent to the media this week, the Town Hall claims that the construction of Čakstes gatve from Vienibas gatve to Ziepniekkalna Street is planned to start next year. A year later, Čakstes gatve would follow from Ziepniekkalna Street to Valdeku Street, or the second phase of the project. However, the representative of the Traffic Department Austris Keišs did not confirm it.
VIDEO: Visualization of the 4th stage of the South Bridge
Source: Riga City Council Traffic Department
“Currently, the Traffic Department of the Riga City Council has completed the design of the 4th phase of the South Bridge. The total construction cost of Čakstes gatve is approximately 115 million euros.
Taking into account the costs and scale of the project, the Transport Department is currently looking for opportunities to attract funding from the RRF or the European Recovery and Sustainability Mechanism, “Keišs said.
The fact that there is no free 115 million euros in Riga’s wallet is also confirmed by Deputy Mayor Vilnis Ķirsis from “Jaunā Vienotība”. He oversees traffic infrastructure issues.
–
Source: Riga City Council Traffic Department
“At least some 110 million euros are needed, we don’t have that kind of money. We have applied for all possible RRFs [atbalsta veidiem], maybe [pieteiksimies] the Cohesion Fund for the next period [atbalstam]. It’s all in the fog right now. However, the priority for us is to complete the eastern motorway first. One stage is missing 40 million euros (..), “said Cherry.
Riga hopes to get the money needed for the construction of Čakstes gatve in the next European funds planning period, and the connection of the South Bridge with Vienibas gatve will be the priority of the mayor.
–
Highlight text and press Ctrl+Enterto send the text to be edited!
Highlight text and press Report a bug buttons to send the text to be edited!
–
–
