Prague celebrates the grand opening of a brand new footbridge, spanning approximately 300 meters in length, that will offer pedestrians and cyclists a convenient route from Holešovice to Karlín via Štvanice. The footbridge, with a budget of nearly CZK 300 million, was originally planned to open in February but faced delays due to unexpected construction challenges. Architect Petr Tej is credited with the design and execution of this remarkable structure.
The footbridge commences on the Bubene embankment in front of the entrance to the Holešovice Market Hall, situated on the Holešovice bank of the Vltava River. On the Karlín side, it connects to the cycle path running along the flood barrier on Rohanské nábřeží. The footbridge stretches across 38 meters between Karlín and Štvanice, followed by 149 meters between Štvanice and Holešovice, and an additional 70 meters over the Štvanice island.
Prague 7 first announced the footbridge competition between Karlín and Holešovice back in 1999. However, the original winning design had to be revised due to changes in flood protection measures following the devastating floods in 2002. The current footbridge is designed to withstand high water levels and includes a lifting last field at the Holešovice embankment. This feature allows the bridge to be raised up to three meters, exceeding the water levels reached during the 2002 floods.
With the inauguration of the Štvanická footbridge, Prague now boasts its twentieth full-width bridge over the Vltava River. Notably, the Troja footbridge connecting Císařský ostrov and Troja was opened in October 2020, replacing the original structure that collapsed in December 2017. Additionally, the city is actively constructing the Dvorecký Bridge, which will link Smíchov and Podolí from Lihovar. The Dvorecký Bridge will be exclusively dedicated to pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport, while also allowing access for rescue workers.
