Vansu Bridge to stay partly open during repairs, Riga mayor says

Vansu Bridge will remain partly open to traffic during repairs planned to begin in autumn 2027, with a full closure needed only while its stay cables are replaced, Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs told Latvian Television, LSM reported.

At least one lane in each direction is expected to remain open during the work. Kleinbergs said some junctions would need to be redesigned to manage traffic using a planned temporary bridge.

Latvian State Roads is preparing a procurement for the temporary bridge. Although the initial timeline extended to 2029, an agreement with the manufacturer could allow it to be built by next autumn, Kleinbergs said. He added that the bridge could be used elsewhere after Vansu Bridge is restored.

Latvian State Roads has an existing contract for the temporary bridge, and the Finance Ministry will need to reallocate funding from future years, Kleinbergs said. The reconstruction of the bridge supports would likely be funded by the Riga municipality.

Construction work on Vansu Bridge is scheduled to start in autumn 2027. The contract, awarded to the Vanšu tilts consortium, is worth nearly 70 million euros. A temporary bridge could cost about 20 million euros more. Mārupė municipality and businesses have raised concerns about traffic during the repairs.