Scientists from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine have warned about the dangerous state of the Yevhen Paton Bridge in Kyiv and called for immediate repair work. According to them, the non-bearing structures of the crossing are experiencing significant corrosion damage, and the rate of degradation of the structure's elements has only accelerated in recent years. In the event of inaction, this may lead to the destruction of individual structures and create a risk of human casualties and serious problems for the capital's transport system.
The scientists published the relevant conclusions on the NAS of Ukraine Facebook page. The message contains the results of the analysis of the technical condition of the bridge and a list of works that, according to the researchers, need to be carried out as a matter of priority. In the calculations, they refer to the corresponding member of the NAS of Ukraine Oleksandr Shymanovsky, the general director of the V. M. Shymanovsky Ukrainian Institute of Steel Structures. It was this institute that was once involved in the design of the Paton Bridge.
Among the works that are proposed to be carried out first of all are the reinforcement of the extreme main beams on support No. 25, the repair of intermediate supports No. 11 and No. 21, including underwater elements, as well as the repair or complete replacement of cross beams. In addition, experts propose to repair the ties of the span structures, restore the lighting poles and railings, and replace the expansion joints.
The NAS emphasizes that the defects discovered during the preliminary inspections of the bridge may lead to further accelerated degradation of the structures. According to scientists, if repairs and reconstruction are not carried out, some elements may completely collapse. In this case, the consequence will be not only a danger to people, but also the collapse of the transport infrastructure of Kyiv, since the Paton Bridge is one of the key crossings across the Dnieper.
However, the proposed work plan has sparked debate among engineers and infrastructure specialists. Some experts believe that the list of measures announced by the Academy of Sciences actually corresponds to a large-scale overhaul, but does not provide for a full reconstruction of the entire structure.
Anna Minyukova, a railway engineer, notes that this approach may not be economically justified. According to her estimates, the cost of such repairs could reach approximately 200 million euros - that is, about 8-10 billion hryvnias. At the same time, a significant part of the work will be completed only partially, which means that they will have to be repeated during the upcoming comprehensive reconstruction.
The expert explains that in bridge construction practice, one of two approaches is usually chosen. The first is local emergency measures that allow temporarily stabilizing the state of the structure and postponing large-scale work. The second is a full-fledged reconstruction or overhaul of the bridge. However, the intermediate option, when expensive large-scale work is carried out only on individual elements of the structure, is considered economically inefficient.
According to Minyukova, in large bridges, many elements are technologically repaired simultaneously. For example, if today the expansion joints are replaced, and in a few years a major repair is carried out with a new roadway slab, these same joints will have to be dismantled and reinstalled again. In addition, a significant part of the budget of large infrastructure projects is spent on organizing the construction site - installing cranes, floating vehicles and temporary structures. If the work is carried out several times in different years, these costs have to be repeated.
At the same time, experts emphasize that it is still possible to carry out emergency work on the Paton Bridge. According to preliminary estimates, the spot elimination of the most critical defects could cost up to 200 million hryvnias. However, such measures will not return the structure to full operational capacity, but will only temporarily stabilize its condition.
Despite the alarming assessments, Oleksandr Szymanovsky himself speaks about the situation in public comments somewhat more restrainedly. According to him, although the bridge is in a technically inoperable state, this does not mean that it may collapse in the near future. The specialist notes that the complete destruction of such a structure is unlikely, although individual emergency situations have already occurred on it.
At the same time, the Kyiv City State Administration emphasizes that the bridge can continue to be operated if the established traffic restrictions are observed. This includes, in particular, limiting the load on the crossing and other technical requirements.
Another problem complicating the reconstruction of the Paton Bridge is its status as an architectural monument. According to the law on the protection of cultural heritage, any work on objects with this status must be approved by the heritage protection authorities, in particular the Ministry of Culture. Because of this, during the reconstruction, it is not possible to simply replace old elements with modern analogues without additional approvals.
For example, the bridge's railings are made of cast iron by 1950s standards. If the bridge were not a listed building, they could be replaced with modern, lighter structures made of aluminum or other alloys, which would make repairs much cheaper. However, the current conservation status makes it much more difficult to modernize the structure.
The reconstruction of the Paton Bridge has been discussed for many years. Back in 2019, the Kyiv authorities included the relevant works in the city's Economic and Social Development Program. However, due to bureaucratic procedures, tender disputes, and lack of funding, the project's implementation never began.
Today, even the preparation of a visualization of the future repair is estimated at approximately 12 million hryvnias, and the development of a full-fledged project can cost another 35–45 million. The process of designing a large bridge usually takes about two years, after which it is necessary to undergo state expertise and approval of the documentation. The construction or reconstruction of such a crossing itself can also last at least several years.
Therefore, experts are increasingly talking about the need not for spot repairs, but for a comprehensive reconstruction of the Paton Bridge — or even the construction of a new crossing next to it.
