The government is considering embankment dams and pontoon crossings as alternatives for transport links between Kyiv’s right and left banks should bridges across the Dnipro be damaged. Work on emergency solutions has already begun, said Mykola Kalashnyk, Ukraine’s Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport.
According to the minister, a coordination meeting was held with the president, during which tasks were defined given the critical nature of the situation.
“Immediate solutions include an embankment dam and a pontoon crossing, which can be built quickly… This work has already begun. An appropriate coordination meeting was held with the president. We received all the tasks, taking into account the critical nature of the situation.”
Mykola Kalashnyk, Ukraine’s Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport
Kalashnyk said that the average daily capacity of connections between the two banks via bridges is about 600,000 vehicles. Locations for the construction of embankment dams have already been identified. In his assessment, their construction could take up to three months, and the structures themselves are expected to provide half the capacity of the bridges.
Bridge restrictions and military involvement
In October, Russia began attacking bridges across the Dnipro in Kyiv with drones. As a result, traffic on the Pivdennyi Bridge was suspended, while restrictions have been introduced on some other crossings. This has complicated travel around the city, with Kyiv residents facing traffic jams and difficulties commuting to and from work.
According to Kalashnyk, Kyiv authorities were not handling the issue independently. The Ministry for Restoration, the Restoration Agency and the military are expected to join efforts to develop alternative crossings. At the same time, the construction of such facilities is planned to be considered not only for Kyiv and not only across the Dnipro.
The minister also stated that every bridge currently has a safety margin. He named protecting bridges from the air together with the military as the top priority.
“And our first task is to provide protection from the air, which we are working on with the military.”
Mykola Kalashnyk, Ukraine’s Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport
Concrete structures, a tunnel and ferries
In addition to pontoon crossings, the government is considering rapidly deployable concrete structures. In the long term, options include a tunnel beneath the Dnipro, but such a project can only be implemented with the assistance of partners, as it would cost tens of billions of hryvnias.
Earlier, Volodymyr Kreidenko, deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, told Novyny.LIVE that the city has the capacity to launch ferry crossings from Slavutych metro station to Poshtova Ploshcha for trucks and passenger vehicles. According to him, there are ferries available and the possibility of organising traffic.
LIGA.net asked the Kyiv City State Administration whether the city has the necessary infrastructure and whether it is considering ferry services between the two banks. The response is expected to be published after it is received.
