Construction of the Polotsk overpass is nearing completion in Vitebsk

A reception committee is currently working at the city's main construction site. Residents are counting down the days until traffic is reopened here. There will be no need to drive around. The usual rhythm of public transport operation will also be restored. However, it is already possible to walk across it, which our film crew took advantage of.

The final touches are being made at Vitebsk's main construction site. A couple of dozen meters of fencing still need to be installed – and this part of the work will also be completed. Road markings are already on the asphalt, and granite pedestals with the city's coat of arms are on the sides of the bridge. Four lanes, separated tram tracks, ramps, and a wide sidewalk – this is what the Polotsk overpass looks like after reconstruction.

Dmitry Samanchuk, foreman of Bridge Construction Department No. 5 of "Mostostroy" enterprise: "Initially, it was planned to build one half while the old one was in operation, but the overpass was in an emergency condition, so it had to be completely closed. Work was carried out simultaneously on the construction and dismantling of the old overpass."

Traffic here stopped on November 15, 2018. At that time, skeptics predicted years of waiting. But the overpass was declared the main regional construction project, and work was in full swing here, even at night. The builders completed it in 20 months.

Hundreds of specialists and dozens of services are involved in the reconstruction of the overpass. In fact, only the name "Polotsk" remained from the old one. New supports, new floor beams, and new seamless rails for trams. A new interchange now leads to the bus station. It is now a major transport hub. Simultaneously, the track, signals, and lighting were being replaced on the railway. The new bridge is 1.5 meters higher, and in the future, it will be possible to run electric trains here.

Sergey Novodvorsky, chief engineer of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway: "Considering that the overpass has become noticeably wider, the track section underneath it has been updated, which will allow us to avoid major work in the future. And the renewal of our infrastructure ensures its increased operational reliability."

Two major bridges are undergoing reconstruction in the region simultaneously. The second one is in Polotsk. Here, the river complicates the work. It is currently a critical moment: old metal structures need to be removed, and new ones assembled and installed. The city decided to preserve the previous appearance. And our builders are capable of this; they are currently assembling a temporary bridge. Conditions vary, but the result is the same – a modern crossing. Using new technologies. To avoid halting the M8 international highway, a new bridge was first erected here, and then the old one was reconstructed. Each new overpass is equipped with dozens of different sensors, and all information is sent to a dispatcher who has a view of all major road interchanges in the region.

Alexander Rymashevsky, Chief Engineer of Vitebskavtodor enterprise: "Not only the bridge is being rebuilt, but everything attached under the bridge: approaches, bus stops were rebuilt, an underpass was equipped, including video surveillance, which has also proven beneficial. If previously people were afraid to use the underpass, now they use it with pleasure. There is lighting – it is safe there."

Four bridges in the Vitebsk region currently require reconstruction. Defects were found in each of them. Even at the design stage, the future of each structure is calculated for many years ahead, taking into account local specifics.

And this bridge near Vitebsk on the E-95 highway is next for reconstruction. Due to the increased freight traffic, the structure will be strengthened, and also made a meter higher. This is a request from a building materials production plant, which intends to purchase a batch of modern BelAZ trucks with a carrying capacity of 55 tons; currently, only 30 tons of valuable raw materials can be transported per trip.

On the new overpass in Vitebsk, vehicular traffic will commence in mid-July. The structure was built using the most modern bridge-building technologies. They provide a 75-year warranty for the deck slabs and a 100-year warranty for the supports of the new bridge.