Ukraine’s State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure has announced that the third modular bridge donated by a French humanitarian mission has been erected in the Chernihiv region, the CFTS portal reports.
According to the announcement, the erection of the bridge is key to ensuring a steady flow of trucks. In addition, the new bridge will ensure faster transportation and save time and money.
Only vehicles weighing up to 18 tons could cross the damaged bridge after the liberation of the Chernihiv region. Trucks needed detours to travel from Chernihiv to the northern communities. Trucks heading from Mena to Chernihiv had to take a detour through Horodnia and Snovsk, which added an extra 100 kilometers.
"The Crisis and Support Center (CDCS), which is a French state-owned humanitarian operator, delivered three bridges to the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure last year. They were manufactured for Ukraine by Matière," the statement said.
The structures, which are 68, 34, and 23 meters long, were designed specifically for the crossings destroyed during the fighting in the Chernihiv region.
The installation of two of the bridges on the P-69 Kyiv - Vyshhorod - Desna - Chernihiv highway was completed in February 2023. The State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure had to wait for the water level in the Sniv River to drop after flooding before installing the third bridge, which is the longest one.
The superstructure modules are currently being installed on the bridge.
"The road surface layer was applied at the production site, so traffic will resume as quickly as possible, ensuring delivery of vital goods to Chernihiv and the communities in the region," the agency said.
Twenty-seven bridges and overpasses were destroyed during the fighting in the Chernihiv region following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Of these, four have been rebuilt completely and six are still being rebuilt.
