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This morning, a 140-meter-long and nearly 1,200-ton steel arch structure began its journey across the Pärnu River.
"To this day, it's not entirely clear how the stones, weighing from a few tons to several dozen tons, were moved during the construction of the Cheops Pyramid over four thousand years ago. However, the residents of Pärnu and other interested observers can safely watch from a distance as modern engineering skills are used to move this more than a thousand-ton steel structure into place," said Meelis Kukk, Deputy Mayor of Pärnu.
"We are executing one of the most complex bridge assemblies in the Baltics in decades. Today's work is the culmination of a very intensive and complex engineering process that has taken a year and a half," noted Robert Sinikas, a board member of INF Infra OÜ, an engineering and construction company belonging to the Infortar group.
For the 260-meter transport journey of the arch bridge structure, assembled on the bank of the Pärnu River, to its final location, special equipment is being used. The bridge is being transported onto a temporary bridge using self-propelled transporters. From there, the structure will be transferred onto barges, which will carry it to the river piers, where the bridge will be lowered into its final position with the help of jacks. Since the bridge, along with additional structures, weighs almost 1,200 tons during transportation, the approach bridge on the city center side has been reinforced with two temporary piers. To maintain the geometry of the arch bridge during transportation, the structure has been strengthened with temporary beams.
To ensure safety, water traffic in the bridge corridor area will be closed for up to five days. During this period, no watercraft or swimmers will be allowed to enter the work zone. The closed-off area will be marked with yellow buoys on both sides, and patrol vehicles will secure the area. Steel cables will be stretched across the river within the buoys, making it dangerous to navigate or swim between them. On the Rääma side of the riverbank, pedestrian and cyclist routes will be altered. Temporary traffic control measures should be observed.
The work depends on wind direction and speed. The bridge is expected to be installed in its final position by Wednesday evening. If the winds are too strong, the work may take longer than the planned three days, as there may be interruptions.
INF Infra has previously undertaken similar work in Tallinn during the construction of the Tondi overpass, where two 500-ton viaducts built alongside the railway were moved to their final positions in a very short time window. The solution proposed by the engineers allows for time savings in the construction of tunnels and bridges, which is critical when minimizing rail traffic disruption.
The City of Pärnu and the Infortar group companies, INF Infra OÜ and AS EG Ehitus, signed the design and construction contract for the new Pärnu bridge in May last year. The bridge piers and superstructure are now completed, along with most of the above-ground structures. On average, one hundred people are working on the site, with over six hundred people and 80 subcontracting companies involved in the project. The bridge is planned to be opened at the beginning of summer, on June 21, 2025.
The new Pärnu bridge will become Estonia's longest bridge, with a span of 140 meters. Currently, the longest-span bridges in Estonia are the Rannu-Jõesuu and Ihaste bridges, both with a maximum span of 90 meters. The new Pärnu bridge will surpass these by one and a half times. Additionally, the new Pärnu bridge will be the longest arch bridge in the Baltics and Finland.
