One of the main attractions of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don is the Voroshilov Bridge. This building was organized by a busy movement of pedestrians and vehicles. The bridge connects the cities of Azov and B altiysk with Rostov-on-Don. It has a large capacity, more than 47 thousand cars passed through it per day.
History of the crossing
The construction of the structure began in 1961, and in 1965 the Voroshilovsky Bridge was opened. It was in this building that for the first time in the world adhesive joints were used instead of conventional joints (bolted or welded). After more than forty years of use, the Voroshilovsky Bridge had to be temporarily closed for repairs, and then for a complete reconstruction.
The crossing got its name in honor of the avenue in Rostov-on-Don, of which it is a continuation. The Voroshilovsky Bridge is an important part of the city - it is the shortest way to the left bank of the Don River. It is there that there are a large number of recreation centers, variousbusinesses, restaurants and entertainment centers. The paralysis of the work of the building led to great difficulties in the movement of transport. The Temernitsky bridge took over the main traffic flows; it is located in the city center. Residents of Rostov can only get to the opposite side of the blocked building by taking a detour.
Value of a cultural object
The bridge was erected according to the designs of architect Sh. A. Kleiman and engineer N. I. Kuznetsov. Their joint work has led to a great functionality of the building and its picturesque appearance. It goes well with the skyline of the city and the landscape, which makes the bridge an invariably important architectural element of Rostov-on-Don.
Voroshilovsky Bridge is an attraction very popular among tourists. The inhabitants of the city themselves are tied to the symbol of Rostov-on-Don. Against its background, a huge number of photographs are regularly taken, both by local residents and by numerous tourists who visit the city. Also, this building has a sad glory. Suicides most often decide to take their last step on this bridge.
Building a bridge
A new technology for building a river crossing involved joining concrete blocks with bustilate glue. Each component weighed at least thirty tons. Reinforced concrete blocks rested on U-shaped structures and passed steel cables through them. The length of the structure is at least 450 meters, and its height reaches 35 m. The Voroshilov Bridge is the first experience in the Soviet Union of using thisconstruction techniques. The engineers of the young Soviet state did their best.
Checking and closing the crossing
Scheduled inspections of the structure were carried out regularly to assess how the Voroshilovsky bridge works, the photo of which is in this article, and how reliable it is. In 2007, during such an event, significant defects were identified. The joint between the second and third spans opened up fifty millimeters. The lower part of the slab was the most damaged, and the cracks reached its upper sheet. The main cause of the defect was a break in the reinforcement that tightened the entire structure.
Traffic on the Voroshilovsky bridge was blocked by the decision of the city authorities. There was a high risk of structural collapse under any load. On October 21, 2007, the operation of the crossing to the other side was completely stopped. The bridge was blocked on both sides until the end of the repair work. During their conduct, impressive empty rooms were discovered. They were under the roadway, and they can only be entered through hatches located on its surface. Then for the first time, both local and foreign photographers and cameramen were given permission by the authorities to go down there to shoot.
Reconstruction of the Voroshilov Bridge
It was possible to restore traffic on the structure quite quickly, but the authorities decided to completely redo the structure. The number of traffic lanes will increase from two to six, which will allow dailypass more than 65 thousand cars. Work began with the construction of the same bridge a little higher up the river. After the completion of this stage, the Voroshilovsky bridge itself will be dismantled to replace all the ceilings. In conclusion, both structures will be connected, and they will form a wide crossing across the Don. The renovation is expected to be completed by 2018. However, construction is in full swing, and there is a possibility that traffic on the bridge will begin earlier.
Since 2015, the Voroshilovsky Bridge can only be traveled in one direction - leaving Rostov-on-Don. After 2 years, it was planned to open the traffic, allowing entry into the city, and then it will become three lanes in each direction. From the original structure, only significantly reinforced supports will remain. Another technology, more reliable, will be chosen to connect concrete slabs.
New view of the Voroshilovsky bridge
The length of the completed structure will be about 625 meters. The design provides for pedestrian crossings. They will be built with a noise band, both ground and underground. Lighting and devices for effective wastewater treatment will be installed throughout the crossing. There are four elevators on each side of the bridge for lifting and descending. The reconstruction of the Voroshilovsky bridge will cost the city authorities about six billion rubles.
Mostootryad-10 is building a new building. Work is progressing ahead of schedule, which predicts the refurbished bridge will open a year earlier than planned by the architects and the localadministration.
