In Brest, the construction of a new branch of the road bridge across the Mukhavets River is entering its final stage. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by Igor Kosenkov, director of the Capital Construction Directorate of the city of Brest.

The central and Transriver parts of the city are connected by a bridge built in the 1960s. It links Shevchenko Boulevard and Warsaw Highway and serves as one of Brest's key thoroughfares. After more than half a century, standards have changed, and the time has come to renovate the structure. The reconstruction provides for the erection of two branches in place of the existing bridge. Work on the first one will be completed this year.

"The metal span structure has been assembled, and all six bridge piers are ready. The ascent to the new branch and the descent have already been paved with a base layer. Waterproofing of the bridge span has been completed, and we are starting to pave the structure with a base layer," said Igor Kosenkov. The specialists have carried out the full range of work related to the installation of utility lines. Lighting supports have been installed. Their intensity will be controlled remotely.

"After the base layer is laid on the span structure, a specialized organization will be called in to test the load-bearing capacity of the bridge branch. In about a week or a week and a half, the tests will be carried out. After receiving the conclusion on compliance with the standards, the top layer of asphalt will be laid and the railings will be installed," added the director of the city's Capital Construction Directorate.

The renovated bridge will be lower than the existing one. The current one has a span height of 10.5 m. In the new bridge, the distance from the water's edge to the lowest point of the bridge will be 8.6 m.

"In addition to the main crossing over the bridge, we will have a separate right-turn exit from Warsaw Highway and the same one from the Shevchenko Boulevard side toward the beach. Partially, a roundabout is taking on a new shape there; it will be elliptical. Currently, there is one lane in each direction. In the final version of the new bridge, there will be four lanes: two in each direction," explained Igor Kosenkov.

Traffic on the new bridge branch will be opened before the end of the year. Then the builders will proceed to dismantle the old structure and erect the second branch in its place.