construction of the Rail Baltica bridge across the Daugava has begun

In mid-March, work began to clear the riverbed in the area of ​​the bridge support. The structure of a temporary bridge built following the war, as well as various other sunken elements, still stands in the Daugava, TV3 reports.

The first support of the bridge on the Daugava will be built from a barge – the builder Bererix will erect a rectangular grooved wall structure at the same time as drilling piles that will reach the dolomite layer. After that, a massive slab will be installed in the riverbed between the corrugated walls, which will prevent water pressure on the concrete lattice window, the bridge builder said.

The next stage of work will be to create a dry environment in the space of the supporting structure. Water will be pumped out using special equipment and water pumps. After its construction, construction of the support itself will also begin. In general, these works are planned to be completed by early autumn.

The distance between the new and existing railway bridge will be from 5 to 10 meters. To ensure the stability of existing bridge structures during construction, Bererix has also installed a monitoring system in this part of the Riga Central Rail Baltica hub – sensors that automatically monitor the main load-bearing structures of existing bridges 24 hours a day and will inform regarding movements or vibrations, that may arise during construction work.

The operation of the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station and the potential impact of water flow on the structure of the new bridge were also taken into account. Given the city’s history, unexploded ordnance surveys, or UXO scans, were conducted early in the design process. Also during bridge construction, UXO scanning will continue during excavation work.

Construction work will not interfere with the free movement of ships and boats along the Daugava in areas of other spans, but will be limited in the area of ​​construction of the base of the new bridge.

The Rail Baltica railway bridge across the Daugava will be regarding a kilometer long with two European gauge tracks (1435 mm). The bridge also has a lane suitable for pedestrians and cyclists, with several approaches. The new bridge will start at Lastadiya Street, cross the Daugava, Zakusala, Lesser Daugava and end at Mukusalas Street.

On a European scale, the bridge is quite unique, since taking into account the railway load and technical solutions of the project, the height of the span is relatively small compared to its length.

The project is financed within the range of 81-85% by the EU Infrastructure Connection Instrument, and the remaining part is provided by funds from the Latvian state budget.