What We Know About the New Bridge That Collapsed Two Weeks Ago in Hrodna

The opening was scheduled for last weekend.

The bridge across the Neman, which made all the news reports, is not new. Residents still remember the bridge, which connects the two river banks. Once, railroad trains used to go over this bridge from Grodno Azot to Khimvolokno by narrow-gauge line. But then something went wrong and the traffic stopped, and the bridge was abandoned for many years, writes onliner.by.

In the fall of 2019, they started to reconstruct the former railway bridge into a road bridge. And the adjacent road. It was decided not to save the money: four lanes, its own junction, pedestrian and bicycle paths. It is a good project for a glorious city.

Initially, they wanted to finish it in a year (instead of the allotted two years), promising to finish the project by the end of 2020. But life made adjustments. The opening was scheduled for last weekend. And again it was postponed.

Weekend emergencies are nothing new for the residents of Hrodna and, in particular, the Vishnevets neighbourhood. A "rehearsal" took place several weeks ago at the same place: the work is humming after heavy rain.

But the builders bravely continued their work in order to meet the festive date. "The work is going on from dusk to dawn," a Hrodna resident shared her impressions. - The part of the road that collapsed due to the downpour has now formed a beach area in Neman. New, more powerful storm drains were built but only on one side of the road, the one that collapsed.

As we all already know, on X-Day, when two norms of ten-day rainfall washed over the land, the situation repeated itself: the embankments floated, the mood was spoiled. "The situation repeated. In the same place as two weeks ago. So far, only the sidewalk and part of the high slope below it have floated away. The other banks and reinforcements on the right and left banks have also collapsed," the girl continued.

Those who have been on site since the emergency have noticed that the water in the Neman has turned yellow and murky. "Because of the sand that was washed away," Hrodna residents speculate.

Yesterday, the bridge was not closed (note that the concrete structure itself was not damaged), people could walk around and make assessments. Many people are afraid to guess how the situation will develop in the future.

Hrodna residents say of the authorities and officials who arrived at the site after the downpour: "They are walking, sighing, thinking".

The citizens also recall that during the construction, in November 2020, a 28-year-old extreme sportsman died on the bridge.