Bridges in Kiev

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This article deals with the bridges in Kiev over the Dnieper River. For the bridge-like structures elsewhere in the city, see articles on Kiev's architecture and transport.

Kiev, located on both the right and the left banks of the Dnieper River, whose width, as it flows through the city, reaches some several hundred meters, currently has seven bridges spanning across the river and a few dozen bridges across the canals and Dnieper tributaries.

Due to the location and the width of the river, the bridges have always been a very attractive and hard to realize option throughout the long history of Kiev. Additionally, several tributaries fall into the Dnieper inside or just north or south of the historic city.

The temporary floater bridges were known to have existed since the 12th century. The stationary bridges existed in Kiev from mid-19th century but none of them survived through the turbulent events that followed the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 First stationary bridges: late 19th to early-20th century 1.2.1 Nicholas Bridge 1.2.2 Struve (Darnytskyi) Railroad Bridge 1.3 Between WWI and WWII 1.3.1 Bosh bridges 1.3.2 Darnytskyi Railroad Bridge 2 Modern automobile bridges 2.1 Moskovskyi Bridge 2.2 Metro Bridge 2.3 Paton Bridge 2.4 Pivdennyi Bridge 3 Modern railroad bridges 3.1 Podolskyi Railroad Bridge 3.2 Darnytskyi Railroad Bridge 4 Pedestrian bridges 4.1 Harbour Bridge 4.2 Park Pedestrian Bridge 4.3 Rusanivka Bridges 4.4 Venetian Bridge 5 Bridges in construction 5.1 Podilskyi Metro Bridge 5.2 New Darnytskyi Bridge 6 Alternatives to bridges 6.1 Tunnel projects 6.2 Emergency bridges 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early history

According to the chronicles, the earliest floating bridge across the Dnieper River in the area was built in the 1115. It was located near Vyshhorod or, according to different accounts, near the Vydubychi Monastery. Records exist about another floater in the 17th century with stationary approaches from the shores.

Such bridges could only be temporary as Dnieper ices in most winters at the Kiev's latitude and the pillar's icing and the roaring ice drift each spring remain a concern even for modern bridges. Additionally, the river stream was especially strong before the Dnieper was dammed in the 20th century. Therefore, the cross-river traffic was carried by boats and ferries throughout centuries.

[edit] First stationary bridges: late 19th to early-20th century

From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, Kiev was served by two stationary bridges. Both bridges had similar fates. Built at the times of the industrial revolution in the Russian Empire these engineering masterpieces of their time survived the Great and Civil wars. Both were blown up in 1920 by the Polish troops retreating from Kiev following their unsuccessful armed intervention into Ukraine.

[edit] Nicholas Bridge

The first stationary bridge in Kiev was built between 1848 and 1853.^[1] This 770 metres-long Nicholas Bridge was a chain suspension bridge rested on five pillars. Being one of the largest and most beautiful bridges in Europe, it was the pride for the city until it was blown up in 1920 by the Polish troops.

[edit] Struve (Darnytskyi) Railroad Bridge

The second stationary bridge was built in 1868-1870 with the construction overseen by Amand Struve.^[2] This over 1 kilometre long railroad truss bridge was initially named to its constructor, engineer Struve, and renamed later to Darnytskiy Bridge. Standing on 13 piers, over one kilometer long, the bridge was the longest in Europe at that time. During the construction Struve first in the Russian Empire used caisson method to lay the foundation . On February 17, 1870 the first train by the Kiev-Kursk railroad company arrived through the bridge to the Kiev railroad station. Similarly to the Nicholas Bridge, the Struve Bridge survived the Great and Civil wars and was blown up in 1920 by the retreating Polish troops (see: Kiev Offensive).

[edit] Between WWI and WWII

New bridges were built in the early Soviet years but were destroyed in the first months of the 1941 Nazi German invasion. Restored by forced labor of war prisoners and civilians during German occupation they were blown up again by Germans when they retreated from Kiev in November 1943.^[3]

[edit] Bosh bridges

Within months after the Polish troops blew up the original chain bridge, that very summer 1920 the Ukrainian engineer Evgeny Paton proposed the reconstruction project that would have reused the old chains to be lifted from under water. However, rusting made the metallic parts of the old bridge unusable and for the following two years Paton worked on several projects of the Nicholas bridge's restoration. He ended up proposing to construct a totally new bridge but this proposal was declined by the supporters of the reusing of the old elements from underwater. 1923 passed in arguing between the two proposals and, finally, in 1924 Paton's idea prevailed. The construction overseen by Paton was finished by 1925 and the completed bridge was named to Yevheniya Bosh the fist leader of the Supreme Council of Soviet Ukraine.^[4]

Following the Nazi attack on the Soviet Union, the bridge was destroyed on September 18, 1941 by retreating Soviet forces. It was restored by forced labour under German occupation and then destroyed again by German troops retreating from Kiev.

[edit] Darnytskyi Railroad Bridge

The replacement Darnytskyi railroad bridge was built in early 1920s but shared the fate of the Bosh Bridge. Destroyed in the first months of the Great Patriotic War, it was restored during German occupation by forced labor, and was destroyed again by retreating German troops.

During the Battle of Kiev, Red Army's attempt to catch the bridge by landing forces was unsuccessful. The Germans blew up the bridge on the eyes of the Soviet landing force unit. The landing unit was disbanded for the operation failure.

Immediately after the liberation a temporary wooden bridge was built at the location of the blown up Darnytskyi bridge by the Red Army engineers in the record thirteen-day time (some sources cite thirty days) in the urgency to facilitate the pursuit of the German army on its retreat from Ukraine. The record short construction time plan was met despite the frequent German bombing raids. 50,000 Kievans took part in the bridge construction.

[edit] Modern automobile bridges

(Listed southwards along the river flow)

[edit] Moskovskyi Bridge

The Moskovskyi ("Moscow") Bridge (50°29′26″N, 30°32′09″E), designed by the architect A. V. Dobrovolsky and an engineer by G. B. Fux, was built in 1976. It is a suspension bridge, with the beam of the main span being held by a cluster of steel ropes which are fixed to a 115 metres tall A-pylon.^[5] The bridge consists of two spans: a 816 metre long and 31.4 metre wide span across the Dnieper and a 732 metre long, 29.1 metre wide span accros the Desyonka, a Dnieper tributary.

It is a key structure on the northern end of the "inner circle" road route, connecting Petrivka to the densely-populated north-eastern bedroom neighborhoods. From the moment of its construction the bridge was built as a high-speed motorway, which it remains to this day.

[edit] Metro Bridge

The Metro Bridge (50°26′35″N, 30°33′50″E), engineered by G. Fux and Y. Inosov, was built in 1965. The bridge is used for both the Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska Line of Kiev Metro and automobile traffic. The Metro bridge consists of two spans as it links the central Hidropark island as well as the left and right banks. The larger span consists of an elevated central Metro span and side automobile spans on separate, lower estacades. Both the Metro and automobile paths have a distinct arched contour. This was because the Metro line continues into the hill of the right bank with the Dnipro station.

The smaller span called Rusanivka Bridge which links the Hidropark with the left bank is a more conventional level estacade with two northern traffic lanes and a southern Metro path.

[edit] Paton Bridge

The 1,543 metres long Paton Bridge (50°25′38″N, 30°34′55″E), built in 1953, is the longest of the Dnieper bridges in the city. It was the first fully welded steel construction of such length in the world to the date of completion and it was the longest bridge in Europe at that time. The bridge was named after Evgeny Paton, the famous welding engineer who developed the technology for the structure. He died a few weeks before the construction was completed, never seeing his masterpiece.

Initially carrying the automotive traffic and cross-Dnieper tram lines, the bridge have recently been renovated. The tram rails were removed and the electric trolley bus infrastructure was added to the bridge. Shutting down the tram line that historically served the bridge has met the mixed reception from the Kievans, despite the municipal authorities claimed that the tram service over the bridge has become impractical.

The bridge currently has 3 traffic lanes in both directions and one reversible lane connecting Pechersk to the Left Bank.

[edit] Pivdennyi Bridge

The Pivdennyi ("Southern") Bridge (50°23′41″N, 30°35′23″E), designed by the architect A. Gavrilov and engineered by G. Fux, was built in 1990. It is the second metro bridge in Kiev, serving both the Syretsko-Pecherska metro line and automobile traffic. The shrouds holding the spans on the bridge are supported by a two-column ferroconcrete construction 115 meters in height.

The bridge currently has 3 traffic lanes in both directions. It connects the Vydubychi to the rapidly-developing left-bank Darnytsia neighborhood, completing the southern end of the "inner circle" road route.

[edit] Modern railroad bridges

[edit] Podolskyi Railroad Bridge

The Podolskyi Railroad Bridge (50°29′01″N, 30°32′50″E) is made of steel trusses. It was originally built in 1929 and was known as Petrovskyi Bridge at that time. Like other bridges, it blown in the course of World War II, but it was not heavily damaged and was reopened in 1944.^[6]

The Podolskiy Railroad Bridge completes the railway circle around Kiev. However, it is limited to minor slow-speed rail traffic due to its age.

[edit] Darnytskyi Railroad Bridge

The currently standing Darnitskyi Railroad Bridge (50°24′58″N, 30°35′11″E), engineered by I. Barenboym and E. Radzevich, was built in 1949. It took the place of an older bridge, which was destroyed in the first days of Great Patriotic War (see the earlier history section.)

[edit] Pedestrian bridges

[edit] Harbour Bridge

A steel bridge connects Podil neighborhood to the Rybalskyi Island over the Kiev Harbour. In the 1990s, the bridge was found unsafe for automobile traffic and reserved for pedestrians only.

[edit] Park Pedestrian Bridge

The Park Pedestrian Bridge (50°27′25″N, 30°32′03″E), designed by architect V. Suvorov and engineered by V. Kiriyenko, was built in 1957. The bridge is a light construction 400 metres in length that connects Kiev to the Trukhanov Ostrov. This is the only bridge constructed specifically for the pedestrian traffic over the Dnieper fairway, and for this reason it's formally included in the number of Kiev bridges across Dnieper.

[edit] Rusanivka Bridges

The Rusanivka Bridges were built in the 1960s over the Rusanivka Canal, connecting the neighborhood with the rest of Left Bank city. There are 5 bridges, 2 of them are exclusively pedestrian. Prior to World War II Rusanivka has been connected to the rest of Kiev by a bridge, but it was destroyed during the war. The Rusanivka bridges are a popular place for amateur fishermen.

[edit] Venetian Bridge

The Venetian Bridge, designed by architect A. Ilyashenko and engineered by V. Koval, was built in 1966. The bridge spans the Venetian Canal dividing the Hidropark Island and the Dolobetskyi Island.

[edit] Bridges in construction

Kiev, experiencing a dramatic traffic growth since late 1990s, desperately needs more bridges to avoid traffic jams on and around existing ones. Moreover, the central rail route from the central railway terminal via the Darnytskyi Bridge is overloaded, limiting the railroad traffic in the Eastern Europe.

Two bridges are currently under construction and one more is planned according to the Kiev Development Plan. In addition on the session of Kiev's urban construction council on November 8 2006, a project was unveiled to provide decorative night illumination to most of the bridges. ^[7]

[edit] Podilskyi Metro Bridge

The construction of a new 7 kilometer long metro/automobile bridge (50°28′18″N, 30°32′40″E) is underway on Trukhanov Ostriv, on the midway between existing Moskovskyi Bridge and Metro Bridge. The bridge is a part of the future Podilsko-Voskresenska Line, and it will carry 3 lanes of auto traffic in both directions. However, the project is complicated by the serious land-owning, environmental and architecture-preserving issues. The construction is contracted by the Kiev municipality.

As of June 2006, the legal issues has not been settled with the private owners of the land over which the bridge is been constructed.^[8]

[edit] New Darnytskyi Bridge

The construction of the new Darnitskyi automobile/railroad bridge is underway. The bridge is being constructing 50 metres north of the existing Darnytsia Railroad Bridge. The 1,100 meter-span will cost an estimated $700 million. The bridge will carry 2 lanes of railroad, and 6 lanes of auto traffic.^[9] It is ordered by the national railroad company, but the Kiev authority co-sponsors the project. The main developer of the project is Kyivdiprotrans, and the main constructor is BMK Planete-Mist. ^[9] Following the construction of the bridge, a new railroad passenger station will be constructed on the Left Bank of the city.

As of July 2006, the bridge has been constructed one third. The construction is going 24 hours per day, and the first train is expected to run through the bridge in the second half of 2007. ^[10]

[edit] Alternatives to bridges

[edit] Tunnel projects

A few years before World War II the Soviet government started a secret tunnel construction project. The construction was started in a fear that in case of a war the bridges over the Dnieper were a vulnerable part of the regional transport infrastructure, and tunnels might be a long-term strategic solution. It was planned to build two railroad tunnels under the Dnieper in Kiev suburbs to the north and to the south of the city. The NKVD oversaw the project, drafting hundreds of military, civilian and prison workers to work on it. The underdeveloped technology of the time required special makeshift caissons (vertical mines for ventilation and soil extraction) to be built in the middle of the river.

Due to technical failures and the start of the war, the construction was never finished or even disclosed to the public. The builders were able only to connect the Right Bank with the close Zhukiv Island (where the present-day southern port is situated). The flooded entrance to the tunnel and abandoned caissons can now be seen in the forests and bays of Holosiivskyi Raion. Amateur researchers believe that a large secret base component of the project, including a train station, barracks and mass graves of workers, are also located in the depths of the tunnels. ^[11]

Nowadays, the idea of underriver tunnels, which are relied on much advanced metro construction technologies is still on city planner's table. Tunnel projects are included in some of proposed Kiev general development plans as a way to move the main traffic flows in the city center underground. However, most experts agree that such projects are both unaffordable and technically infeasible at this time.

[edit] Emergency bridges

In case of war/terrorism emergency, the make-shift pontoon bridges are to be established in the city. A special Pontoon-Bridge Brigade of the Armed Forces is based on the Left Bank, ready to use its truck-based automatic bridges and docking boats. Such equipment allows automobile and limited railroad connection over the river, and is frequently used in military maneuvers.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Transport in Kiev, Ukraine
Public transportation: Buses • Funicular • Metro • Tramway • Trolleybuses Air transport: Boryspil (KBP) • Hostomel (GML) • Zhulyany (IEV) Misсellaneous: Bridges in Kiev • Central Railway Station • Darnytsia Railway Station • Petrivka Railway Station • River Port