Šlesers: Vanšu Bridge Closure Could Mean Up to Two Hours a Day in Traffic Jams
Riga City Council deputy Edvards Šlesers says drivers may spend up to two hours a day in traffic during repairs to the Vanšu Bridge. A temporary pontoon bridge is being considered, and he says a decision is urgent.
Significant traffic restrictions are expected in Riga while the Vanšu Bridge is being repaired, and they could cause long traffic jams. Edvards Šlesers, a Riga City Council deputy who chairs the council faction of the party "Latvija pirmajā vietā" (Latvia First, LPV), said on the programme "Spried ar Delfi" that people could spend as much as two hours a day stuck in congestion.
A temporary pontoon bridge
To reduce the likely congestion and the losses it would cause, building a temporary pontoon bridge is being considered. A pontoon bridge is a floating crossing that can serve as a stopgap while the main bridge is under repair. According to Šlesers, the need for such a solution must be assessed and decided on urgently.
A call to act quickly
Šlesers stressed that the decision should not be delayed. On the programme he said: "If there is no action and no decision within the next month, I myself will have to look at which city to move to, so that it is easier to get through the next two years." His words suggest the deputy expects the repairs to affect traffic for at least two years.
The source gives no further details about when the repairs begin, how much a pontoon bridge would cost, or which institution will decide on it. What is clear for now is that the temporary bridge is under discussion and that the deputy is demanding a decision within a month.
