The much-awaited new bridge over the River Danube in Bratislava to replace the previous Stary Most is over ten weeks in delay, meaning the project could lose out on the funding from the European Union.
The project is well behind schedule thanks partly to workers having summer holidays and also up to three weeks off at Christmas, with work halting completely until 5th January. A suspected mine also slowed work a little, as did the discovery of a forgotten water pipeline on Sturova Street, halting work on the preparation of the new tramlines.
If the bridge is not completed by the end of this year, around EUR 70 million in funding from the EU (85% of project costs) could be lost, with the City of Bratislava footing the bill instead.
This state of affairs led freshly elected Mayor of Bratislava, Ivo Nesrovnal, to make a site visit and set out a non-stop plan of work starting in March. A 3-shift work schedule will be put in place and the progress of the project will be monitored more by City Hall. The main contractor is the company Eurovia SK.
The former bridge (photo) was built by the Russian army using German prisoners or war after Bratislava was liberated in 1945. It was only supposed to be a temporary bridge, but stood there until 2010 for traffic and until 2013 for pedestrians, but it became too dangerous due to one of the pillars shifting.
God forbid that any major works should interfere with holidays!
20 years, and the piddling 4 lane motorway still won’t be finished any time this decade, and probably not the next.
Of course the 4 hour working day less booze breaks does not help.
Maybe if the people of BA get lumbered with the bill for this, they at least may stop electing incompetent bandits to run things.
Good to see that just as normal, Slowvak workers have had their noses full to the grindstone ….sniffing the bottle Vodka etc etc .
The delays, well why am I not surprised ?????
After reading this again…Perhaps sniffer dogs would help protect the workers.Plus maybe an air surveliance/on site cameras?Police patrol.etc.
Definitely a labor person,however when it comes to the economy of getting things done to improve your countries living standards you better damn well get it done!,