Construction of the Polotsk overpass is nearing completion in Vitebsk. ONT report
The final touches are being made at Vitebsk's main construction site. A couple of dozen meters of fencing still need to be installed – and this part of the work will also be completed. Road markings are already on the asphalt, and granite pedestals with the city's coat of arms are placed along the edges of the bridge. Four lanes, separated tram tracks, ramps, and a wide sidewalk – this is what the Polotsk overpass looks like after reconstruction.
Dmitry Samanchuk, foreman at Bridge Construction Department No. 5 of "Mostostroy" enterprise: "Initially, it was planned to build one half while the old one was still in operation, but the overpass was in an emergency condition, so it had to be completely closed. Work on both the construction and dismantling of the old overpass was carried out simultaneously."
Traffic here stopped on November 15, 2018. At that time, skeptics predicted years of waiting. But the overpass was declared the main regional construction project, and work was in full swing here, even at night. The builders completed it in 20 months.
Hundreds of specialists and dozens of services were involved in the reconstruction of the overpass. In fact, only the name "Polotsk" remained from the old one. New supports, new floor beams, and new seamless rails for trams. A new interchange now leads to the bus station. It is now a major transportation hub. Simultaneously, the railway track, traffic lights, and lighting were being replaced. The new bridge is 1.5 meters higher, and in the future, it will be possible to run electric trains here.
Sergey Novodvorsky, Chief Engineer of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway: "Considering that the overpass has become noticeably wider, and the track section underneath it is updated, this will allow us to avoid major repair work in the future. And the modernization of our infrastructure ensures its increased reliability."
The region is undertaking the reconstruction of two major bridges simultaneously. The second one is in Polotsk. Here, the work is complicated by the river. Now is a critical moment: old metal structures need to be removed, and new ones assembled and installed. The city decided to preserve the original appearance. And our builders are capable of this; they are currently assembling a temporary bridge. Conditions vary, but the result is the same – a modern crossing. With the application of new technologies. To avoid disrupting the M8 international highway, a new bridge was first erected here, and then the old one was reconstructed. Each new overpass is equipped with dozens of different sensors, and all information is sent to a dispatcher who has a comprehensive view of all major road interchanges in the region.
Alexander Rymashevsky, Chief Engineer of the Vitebskavtodor enterprise: "It's not just the bridge that is being rebuilt, but everything connected to it underneath: approaches, bus stops were rebuilt, an underground passage was equipped, including video surveillance, which has also proven beneficial. If people were afraid to use the passage before, now they use it with pleasure. There is lighting – it is safe there."
Four bridges in the Vitebsk region currently require reconstruction. Defects were found in each of them. Even at the design stage, the future of each structure is calculated for many years ahead, taking into account local specifics.
And this bridge near Vitebsk on the E-95 highway is next for reconstruction. Due to the increased freight traffic, the structure will be strengthened and made one meter higher. This is a request from a building materials production plant that plans to purchase a batch of modern BelAZ trucks with a carrying capacity of 55 tons; currently, only 30 tons of valuable raw materials can be transported per trip.
Vehicle traffic on the new overpass in Vitebsk will begin in mid-July. The structure was built using the most modern bridge construction technologies. They provide a 75-year warranty for the deck slabs and a 100-year warranty for the supports of the new bridge.