The Riga City Council has decided to borrow up to 84.46 million euros for the renovation of the Vanšu Bridge.
Of this amount, up to €6.7 million will be needed in 2026, up to €42 million in 2027, and up to €35.76 million in 2028.
The loan repayment period will be up to 30 years, with a deferral of principal repayment for up to three years.
As previously reported, the Riga municipality on Friday signed a contract for the design and reconstruction of the Vanšu Bridge, the city council told the LETA news agency.
The tender for the reconstruction of the Vanšu Bridge was won by the consortium “Vanšu tilts”, which offered to carry out the works for €69.8 million excluding value-added tax, according to information published in the Electronic Procurement System. The consortium includes SIA “Hanza Construction Group”, SIA “Tilts” and SIA “Baltijas mākslīgo būvju projektēšanas birojs ‘Vektors T’”.
However, another bidder challenged the tender results at the Procurement Monitoring Bureau (IUB).
The IUB later found the complaint to be unfounded.
“The procurement and its evaluation were carried out professionally, and today we have signed a contract that allows us to start the design and renovation works. Design work will begin already this year, and construction works will start in 2027 so that the bridge does not have to be closed,” Kleinbergs commented.
The politician stressed that the Vanšu Bridge is a crucial transport artery in Riga, therefore the municipality’s goal is to restore it responsibly, ensuring both safety and the continuity of daily city life.
As reported, the Riga City Council will borrow up to €84.46 million for the renovation of the Vanšu Bridge, including up to €6.7 million in 2026, up to €42 million in 2027 and up to €35.76 million in 2028.
The total length of the Vanšu Bridge is 593.6 metres, and the height of its main pylon reaches 108.7 metres.
The project requires renewal of the asphalt pavement on the carriageway, construction of separated pedestrian zones and cycling infrastructure. The width of the pedestrian sidewalks is planned to be 1.7 metres on one side of the bridge and 1.9 metres on the other. The bridge railings will be restored to their previous height of 1.3 metres.
The project also includes the replacement of the cable stays. Their total weight will be 385.5 tonnes. In addition, new protective casings will be installed on both existing and new cables over a total length of 3,084 metres, ensuring long-term durability and protection against environmental impact.
The reconstruction of the Vanšu Bridge will be carried out using the “design and build” method, under which a single contractor is responsible for both the preparation of the construction design and the execution of construction works, ensuring a unified approach, coordination of works and clear accountability throughout the entire contract period.
In total, Riga has 145 bridges, overpasses and pedestrian tunnels. A number of them have reached the end of their service life, as evidenced by their visual condition and technical indicators.
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