The reconstruction of the Kruna Bridge is one of the largest road infrastructure projects implemented by AB Via Lietuva this year. Stage I works are currently underway - one of the two bridges, the left-hand bridge, which carried traffic towards Kaunas, is being demolished. After the demolition work is completed, construction of a new bridge is planned to begin at the end of May.
The reconstruction work on the bridge over the Kruna River, which was once considered the worst in Lithuania, is progressing rapidly, having begun in early spring. After building a temporary bridge and reorganizing traffic, the demolition of one of the existing bridges has begun.
To many drivers, the Kruna Bridge may have appeared to be one, although in fact it was two separate bridges connected by an asphalt pavement. As a result, the dismantling began by separating the bridges by cutting the asphalt lengthwise. As the bridge continued to be dismantled, the arch was cut and the pavement was cut. After completing these works and dismantling the side supports, the construction of a new bridge began immediately, which is planned to be completed by the spring of 2027.
"We pay special attention to the condition of old and most intensively used bridges across the country. The strategically important Kruna Bridge is one of the most complex infrastructure renovation projects currently. I am pleased that the work here is progressing on time and without disruptions: the fastest possible completion of the work is important for the thousands of people who travel on it every day," said Vice Minister of Transport and Communications Roderikas Žiobakas.
"The reconstruction of the Kruna Bridge is a unique project in terms of its scope and execution of work. I am pleased that the work is progressing smoothly. The bridge is on the busiest motorway in the country, so smooth, convenient and safe communication is important for both traffic participants and the country's economy and military mobility," said Vaidrius Andrikonis, head of the Via Lietuva project team.
During the works of Phase I, traffic in the direction of Kaunas will be carried out on a temporary bridge with two lanes, and traffic in the direction of Vilnius will be carried out on the existing old bridge with two lanes. When driving on the bridges, the speed is limited to 50 km/h.
Eduardas Grinavickas, CEO of UAB Tilsta, which is carrying out the work, notes that "this bridge reconstruction is a significant infrastructure investment in the region, which will improve connectivity and ensure the long-term durability of the structure."
After the construction of one new bridge is completed, the traffic organization procedure will change - traffic towards Kaunas will be carried out over the newly built bridge and one temporary bridge, while the remaining old bridge will be demolished and a new one will be built.
The reconstruction project of the bridge over the Kruna includes the reconstruction of the bridge and its approaches, installing new supports, a deck, deck elements, a water drainage system and all remaining bridge elements. The new permanent bridge will be built of steel and reinforced concrete structures, with a deck length of 125 meters.
The entire project – the construction of a temporary bridge and the reconstruction of the existing bridge – will be completed by the end of 2027. The work will be carried out by UAB “Tilsta”. The value of the contract is slightly more than 24 million euros including VAT. The reconstruction work of the bridge over the Kruna River will be partly financed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – “Via Lietuva” and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) have signed an agreement on additional financing worth more than 9,4 million euros for the reconstruction of the Kruna Bridge.
Maintenance of bridges and overpasses is among the top priorities of the company "Via Lietuva".
It is estimated that 470 million euros are needed to repair bridges and viaducts in critical and poor condition on national roads. At the same time, about 1 billion euros are needed to repair all bridges and viaducts in the country to a satisfactory condition. In order to control the problem of bridge degradation, a sustainable and long-term solution for financing road infrastructure is needed.
