Poland to gain suspended connection with Czech Republic. Start of spectacular investment

• Construction of a new crossing between Poland and the Czech Republic will begin in spring.
• This effective investment will make life easier for tourists and border residents.
• The construction was co-financed by the European Union.

There is no shortage of examples of fruitful cooperation on the Polish-Czech border , which results in convenient solutions for residents and tourists. This is the case, for example, in Cieszyn, which, together with Český Těšín, is now practically a twin city.

Today, Cieszyn and Český Těšín are connected by two bridges and a footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The latter was built as part of the cooperation between the cities, thanks to which it was possible to obtain EU funding. Now residents and tourists can move freely between Poland and the Czech Republic.

There are plans for more similar investments – both in Cieszyn and other places on the border. Many years ago, a similar crossing existed in the Hażlach commune, as in Cieszyn. A footbridge over the Olza River connected the village of Pogwizdów with Karwina in the Czech Republic. However, it was later closed down.

The need to build a footbridge that would reconnect Pogwizdów with Łąki in Karwina has been talked about for a long time. That is why the Hażlach and Karwina communes joined forces and developed a joint cross-border project.

As part of this project, technical documentation for the construction of the footbridge, along with the necessary access roads, was created. This was the basis for obtaining funds for the construction of the new crossing. The efforts were successful, as local governments from Poland and the Czech Republic received over 1.8 million euros in subsidies from the European Union and the state budget for this purpose.

Now the investment is entering the implementation phase. - After three years of intensive preparations, construction of a new footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Olza River will begin this spring. The investment will connect Karviná with the Polish commune of Hażlach, or more precisely, its part of Pogwizdów. This project is not only an infrastructure convenience, but also a symbol of the developing cooperation between the two neighboring countries - informs the portal Zwrot.cz.

Jan Wolf, the mayor of Karwina, quoted there, is convinced that the new footbridge will improve the accessibility of the region's monuments and tourist attractions and will improve communication for cycling enthusiasts . - The bridge will not only make it easier to travel, but will also strengthen social ties between the inhabitants of both countries. For many families divided by the river, it will become an everyday convenience - said Jan Wolf.

The local government of Hażlach is very pleased with the investment.

Boundaries are meant to be crossed and challenges are meant to be taken up.

- said the mayor of Hażlacha Grzegorz Sikorski in an interview with PortalSamorzadowy.pl. He added that the joint project will contribute to the development of bicycle paths on the Polish-Czech border.

The footbridge will enable a future connection of Cieszyn with Jastrzębie-Zdrój via Karwina by a bicycle path, using the "Iron Bicycle Trail" for this purpose. It will also make it easier for residents of the area, who will be able to take cross-border walks, e.g. to the Karwin Sea.

The crossing will be approximately 69 m long, 3.5 m wide and have a load-bearing capacity of 6 tons. It will be a hanging steel structure. Access to the footbridge will be via Sosnowa Street, but the local spatial development plan already assumes the creation of bicycle paths along the Olza River.

The investment cost is over PLN 7 million . As reported by Zwrot.cz, the construction will last about 8 months.