Why did they close the Saratov-Engels bridge? The new bridge Saratov-Engels

In the Saratov region, the problem of the necessity to reconstruct a bridge across the great Russian Volga river has been discussed for a long time. At the same time, it worries not only local residents who are forced to risk themselves daily, traveling on old structures, but also scientists, because they scientifically proved the need to repair the Saratov-Engels bridge. And, finally, regional officials paid attention to the problem.

In March 2014, the employees of the regional road committee reported that the Saratov-Engels bridge would be closed for reconstruction.

Terms of repair

The beginning of the repair work is scheduled for the middle of the spring of 2014. The end of the reconstruction of this project is planned for November 1 of the same year. It was at the beginning of the last month of autumn that the Saratov-Engels bridge will be put back into operation. However, it must be noted that this date is approximate.

Disadvantages for transport owners

Naturally, for the period of carrying out repair works of the construction, the traffic will be restricted, so that owners of vehicles will suffer inconveniences for eight months, traveling around the village of Pristanoye.

The Saratov-Engels bridge will be open only for public transport. However, those who plan to arrive without time to the place of study or work in Engels or Saratov by bus, may not be enticed, since the number of public transport flights will also be reduced.

At the same time, regional officials said that without this forced action, the Saratov-Engels bridge would not be repaired soon.

Reconstruction of the object can not be postponed any longer

In the middle of the spring of 2014, a meeting of the expert group was held at the local legislative body, the members of which stated the disappointing results of the final quality control testing. At the same time, the data of interim expert assessments that were launched in 2006 were announced. Experts even then realized that the repair of the Saratov-Engels bridge should be carried out in the shortest possible time, but the regional budget deficit aggravated the solution of the problem.

The first time its aggravation occurred in 2004, when the pillars on which the cables of the trolleybus lines ran collapsed. And, for the sake of justice, none of the then officials was in a hurry to offer to build a new bridge Saratov - Engels.

At the same time, the time passed, the state administrators succeeded each other, and the problem remained unresolved. As a result, it reached a critical point.

Causes

The primary verification of the state of the object recorded that the waterproofing layer of the bridge had become unusable. As a result, it was decided to dismantle the roadway and reconstruct the transport infrastructure. However, the Saratov-Engels bridge was never repaired due to lack of money in the regional treasury. The project was suspended.

In 2008, scientists again began to conduct the bridge examination. Now it turned out that the cables of the flexible armature had rusted heavily . The wear of these structural elements was about 10%.

Specialists have reported that the diameter of the cables has seriously worn out, so the slightest fluctuation can lead to a catastrophe. However, even after such disappointing conclusions of experts, the closing of the Engels-Saratov bridge was postponed by officials. Of course, they should not hesitate to repair, but they just thought that during their reign no trouble will happen, and let the successors reconstruct the bridge.

Until recently, the situation was simply catastrophic. The design was so worn out that any careless movement, and the bridge could collapse. And it can happen at the most unexpected moment, and hundreds of people can suffer as a result of the tragedy.

Anyway, but the optimism is aroused by the fact that at the expert meeting the engineers stated that it is impossible to postpone repair of the Saratov-Engels bridge. Officials simply can not continue to not listen to their opinion.

The circuit of detour

Due to the fact that repair works will be carried out at the above-mentioned facility from April 15 to November 1, 2014, specialists from the regional transport committee have developed a scheme according to which the traffic between Saratov and Engels will be carried out in the planned period.

All vehicles will go towards the Pristany district. As already emphasized, more convenient conditions of transportation are provided for those who use public transport, although the number of flights will be reduced.

From the center of the regional capital, automobile routes will run towards the Yubileiny settlement. Then the path will continue along the Tankmen, Bolshaya Zatonskaya and the new bridge.

From the Leninsky district of the city you can reach the destination through the Volskiy Trakt, and from Zavodskoy district - along the Novoastrakhanskoye highway.

Those who live in Engels can get to the place first along Studencheskaya Street, and then to the Pristani Bridge.

Owners of heavy trucks will look for other ways to bypass Engels, as the Student will be filled with cars.

New bridge

Experts say that after the reconstruction of the bridge it will be possible to operate a maximum until 2025. It is for this reason that officials began to create a project to build a new bridge, which will be erected at the narrowest point of the river, in close proximity to the old transport infrastructure facility. The construction of a new construction will cost the regional treasury an average of 40-50 billion rubles. Currently, regional authorities are looking for investors.

Maintenance costs

Reconstruction of the old bridge will require serious investments, the size of which is estimated by experts at 333,000 rubles. This money will be spent on updating the curb, buying and installing traffic lights, new road signs and other needs. During the reconstruction period, only emergency rescue, operational and repair services will be located at the facility.