New Prague Karlín-Holešovice bridge will serve pedestrians, trams, and traffic

A new bridge will connect Prague's Karlín and Holešovice districts, which will serve pedestrians, cars, trams, and cyclists, easing congestion in both regions. According to the capital’s municipal transport committee, the bridge will be constructed in one of several proposed locations linking to Prague 8’s Rohanský ostrov and crossing the Vltava river.

The transport committee evaluated the potential bridge locations and structures according to their “architectural, urban, transport, and structural solutions.” In Karlín, the bridge will connect with either the Breitfeldova, U Mlýnského kanálu, or Urxova streets.

According to the study, the best option for the bridge’s location is between Urxova Street in Karlín and Jateční Street in Holešovice. This proposal, by architect Roman Koucký and the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR), received the highest ratings for its structural and transport solutions. The evaluation also mentions the aesthetic appeal of the bridge, with its curved design, according to transport news website Zdopravy.cz.

However, the proposal from D3A studio of architects Jaroslav Zima and Tomáš Prouza, which places the bridge between Urxova and V Háji streets, also received high praise. This option aims to protect recently built apartment buildings from noise and proposes the creation of a new embankment.

The third option, from architect Patrik Kotas, suggested connecting the bridge directly with the Křižíkova metro station. However, Kotas did not properly address the bridge's architectural rendering or structural approach; the municipal transport committee therefore rated it the worst.

Experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Czech Technical University suggest that the best location for the bridge would be between Urxova Street and the intersection of Jateční and Na Maninách streets. They also recommend holding an architectural competition for the start on the Holešovice side, which may link to the Holešovice Market.

The city considers the new bridge to be “very important” to the area as other new buildings are in development in both Karlín and Holešovice, which will increase population, footfall, and traffic.

It also says that the bridge will complement the nearby Hlávkův and Libeň bridges, which are currently in poor condition and need reconstruction. The transport committee stresses the importance of not delaying preparations for the project – no possible completion dates have yet been announced, though.

In summer 2023, Prague opened the HolKa footbridge linking Holešovice and Karlín for pedestrians and cyclists; proposals for its construction began in 2018.