The "Bridge from Nowhere to Nowhere" – why the Podolsk-Voskresensky Bridge took 30 years to build and what its future holds now.

The opening of traffic on the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge is not only a significant event for Kyiv but also an important lesson for future infrastructure projects.

Its history dates back to the Soviet era when the idea of building a bridge was part of grandiose plans aimed at showcasing technical prowess. The concept for the bridge emerged in the late 1980s. The technical and economic justification for its construction was developed between 1987 and 1989. This bridge was intended to be the largest arch bridge in Europe, with a total span of approximately 7.5 km.

The Soviet approach prioritized scale over efficiency and the actual needs of residents. This mindset led to numerous delays in the project's implementation, with funding being cut off and the project undergoing multiple revisions. Consequently, modern Kyiv has a bridge with significant issues that could have been avoided with a more rational approach to its construction.

In 2017, specialists from Germany presented the results of a technical and financial examination of the construction in Kyiv. The analysis of the unsuccessful Kyiv project was conducted as part of creating a practical guide with recommendations for planning and constructing large bridges on German highways. Based on updated pricing, the cost of building the bridge is estimated at 19.9 billion UAH (from 2004 to 2027). The longer the construction takes, the higher the price climbs: the costs of building materials, logistics, wages, and so forth increase.

Even before the opening of traffic on the bridge, its structures began to be subjected to external factors such as atmospheric phenomena, temperature fluctuations, and the constant load from their own weight. Essentially, the bridge's operational period has begun. Leaving the structures in an unfinished state would lead to a gradual accumulation of damage. As a result, future expenses for repairs or even partial replacements of elements would significantly exceed the costs of completing them now. The decision to continue construction even during wartime and to open traffic on the Podilsk Bridge is a justified step.

The biggest challenge for the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge remains its integration into the existing transport network of Kyiv. Many refer to this bridge as "from nowhere to nowhere," as key transport interchanges connecting the bridge to the right and left bank infrastructures are still incomplete. Although the bridge itself has three lanes of traffic in each direction, the approaches to it are limited to only two lanes in each direction, which considerably reduces its capacity and could cause traffic jams on the approaches to the bridge.

Last year, traffic was opened for a single bus route. Now, access will be available for both private vehicles and public transport. This was made possible thanks to the major renovation of Central Sadova Street, which leads to the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge from the "Levoberezhna" metro station. Additionally, over the past year, a tunnel for vehicles was constructed under the railway towards Balzac Street. Despite this, there is still a long way to go before the bridge is fully completed, just like the promised metro line to Troieschyna.

Kyiv lacks bridges, so the launch of traffic on the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge will provide an alternative connection between the right and left banks during the repairs of the Metro and Paton bridges, which will inevitably take place in Kyiv. It will also help to partially ease the load on other bridges today.

The completion of the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge should serve as a reminder of the importance of a rational approach to infrastructure planning. Large projects must consider not only technical challenges but also the real needs of the city, economic constraints, and potential risks.

The author expresses a personal opinion that may not align with the editorial position. The responsibility for the published data in the "Opinions" section lies with the author.