VIDEO: Old Čiovo bridge removed and taken to Korčula

by croatiaweek
October 30, 2021
in News

(Photo: Hrvatske Ceste/Grad Trogir)

TROGIR, 30 October 2021 – The central steel span of the old Čiovo bridge, which connected the island of Čiovo and Trogir on the mainland, was lifted by a large crane with a capacity of 100 tons and shipped to the island of Korčula.

The bridge is heading to the Radež shipyard in Blato on the island of Korčula, where it will be repaired over the next few months.

Dismantling of the central part of the bridge began on Wednesday around noon, and 24 hours later the south sailed on a barge where, among other things, sandblasting, corrosion damage and new anti-corrosion protection will be carried out.

(Photo: Hrvatske Ceste/Grad Trogir)

“It is part of a 20 million kuna project of the renovation of the old Čiovo bridge, which began a month ago, whose investor is Croatian Roads,” Grad Trogir said.

(Photo: Hrvatske Ceste/Grad Trogir)

The scene on the Trogir waterfront tuned heads and provided entertainment for both locals and tourists as the 50-metre high crane went to work on what was a complex process of removing the central part of the bridge.

“I am glad that this part of the job went in the best order and I congratulate everyone involved. For us citizens of Trogir, this bridge has great emotional significance, it has been there for almost 60 years and it was really impressive to watch the dismantling process. We hope that the renovations will continue as planned and that we will have a repaired and functional bridge by the beginning of the next tourist season,” said the mayor of Trogir Ante Bilić.

(Photo: Hrvatske Ceste/Grad Trogir)

Spegra, the Spliit firm working on the job, says that work will be done on the renovation of reinforcement and columns inside the arches of the bridge.

“The revision of the existing and installation of new mechanical and hydraulic equipment will follow, then the delivery and installation of the central assembly, installation of new ab slabs and new protective fences, repair of stone elements of the bridge, installation of lighting and finally, production of new asphalt layer and installation of traffic equipment,” Spegra explained.

(Photo: Hrvatske Ceste/Grad Trogir)

Croatian Roads, the project’s investor, also expressed satisfaction with the progress of the works.

“When we opened the new Čiovo bridge a little over three years ago, we said that we would renovate this old bridge, which is special because it is close to the UNESCO-protected city centre, and it is demanding in itself. We are in constant coordination with the City of Trogir and the contractor who is meeting all deadlines for now, and this was one of the more sensitive operations that is not seen every day. I am glad that everything went as it should and I expect that it will be like that until the end so that the bridge is ready and put into operation before the new tourist season,” said Josip Škorić, President of the Management Board of Croatian Roads.