Crosses Ibar Engineering design by Freyssinet company Location Mitrovica, Kosovo | Locale Mitrovica Opened June 2001 Body of water Ibar | |
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Similar Olympic Stadium Adem Jas, Zvečan Fortress, Banjska monastery, Vojinović Bridge, Visoki Dečani | ||
Kosovo mitrovica ibar bridge
The New Bridge (also known as Mitrovica Bridge or Ibar River Bridge) is a steel truss bridge crossing the Ibar river in Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo. The New Bridge has become an iconic symbol of Kosovo division, as it separates around 80,000 Kosovo Albanians in the south from about half as many Serbs living in the north. It is used as a military checkpoint and provides a de facto border between the northern Serbian enclaves and the rest of Kosovo.
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History
In 2001 the bridge was refurbished with French government money. Structural operations such as the widening of the central pier, the reconstruction of the slab and pavements made of concrete and the replacement of the bearings and expansion joints were performed on the one hundred meter long bridge construction. Apart from these bridge repair actions the works also included the placement of additional architectural elements such as viewpoints on the bridge, the supply and placement of lighting, bank access steps and the construction of two decorative arches. The Freyssinet company was awarded the contract to reconstruct the Mitrovica Bridge. The contract's terms stipulated that Freyssinet hire a multi-ethnic construction team to rebuild the bridge. In September 2000 the 61 workers from Kosovo were chosen - one Albanian for one Serb. The project manager was Pierre Lottici. The Department of Transport and Infrastructure - a division of the UNMIK Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS) - oversaw the bridge contract. At the end of June 2001, the new DM 3 million Mitrovica Bridge was handed over to the City of Mitrovica.
The New Bridge is one of three bridges over the Ibar River in Mitrovica. The other two, one leading to the railway station, and the other being an abandoned railway bridge, are only lightly used. The New Bridge is the main crossing point between the two sides of the city.