– There is only one option for building a temporary bridge. It is to put it on the pillars where the old bridge was. That’s what the head of transport in Innlandet County Municipality, Aud Riseng, says. There has been great excitement about whether it is possible to build a replacement bridge, after the Tretten bridge collapsed on the morning of 15 August. No government financial support According to Transport Manager Aud Riseng, a preliminary estimate shows that a replacement bridge on Tretten will cost around NOK 50 million. It includes expenses for construction and rent during the entire period the bridge is there. Rental costs accrue to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, which owns the replacement bridge. A replacement bridge can probably remain standing for two to two and a half years, says Riseng. BRIDGE SOLUTION: A replacement bridge on Tretten can be in place before Christmas, says transport manager Aud Riseng. Photo: Alexander Nordby / news The work on a replacement bridge at Tretten is an expense that Innlandet County Council will not bear alone. County mayor Even Aleksander Hagen (Ap), has asked for a meeting with the transport minister. But the hope of a government contribution from there may be hanging on by a thin thread. In an e-mail to news, the press service in the Ministry of Transport and Communications confirms on Wednesday afternoon that the minister has received the letter. There it is indicated that Tretten bru belongs to the county municipality. – It is therefore the county council, as road owner, which will initially build and pay for a new bridge, says the email from senior adviser in the communications unit, Edvard Andersen. – There are no funds in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s or the Ministry of Transport’s budget for this type of investment on the county road network,” writes Andersen. County Deputy Mayor in Innlandet Aud Hove (Sp) expects the State to step in. – We have a backlog of five billion in county road maintenance, so we need every penny in our own budget for this. We allocated an extra 100 million for bridges just two years ago because we have many and old bridges, says Hove. She says they must reprioritize and postpone planned improvements on the county roads if they do not get financial help from the State to build the replacement bridge. – Because a new bridge must be in place, says Hove. – The state must take responsibility The mayor of Øyer, Jon Halvor Midtmageli, also believes that the state must pay. – It was the State that built that bridge. It was part of the E6 project. So I believe that here the State must actually take responsibility and help finance it. That is my clear opinion, says Midtmageli. He says that a temporary bridge must be put in place at Tretten as soon as possible to save what he describes as a vulnerable local community. ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY: Mayor of Øyer municipality, Jon Halvor Midtmageli, says a temporary one must be in place as soon as possible. Photo: Lars Erik Skrefsrud / news – It is absolutely essential that we get a temporary bridge as soon as possible. This is a bridge that is part of the center of Tretten, and people have big problems getting to work and the shop and so on, says Midtmageli. He says the shops in the center have experienced a significant drop in turnover after the bridge collapsed. – They are losing many customers, including the cottagers, who account for a large part of the action at Tretten. So it is so critical now that we have to consider whether we should ask for help to save the companies through this crisis until we get a new bridge. Up to the politicians Before work on a replacement bridge at Tretten can start, the money must be in place. Aud Riseng hopes that Innlandet in the county council in its meeting in October can give the green light for the work to start. – Our ambitions are to have a replacement bridge on Tretten in place before Christmas, says the transport manager in Innlandet county municipality. The mayor of Øyer says that it is absolutely necessary to get a temporary bridge in place before Christmas, and that it should preferably be in place even earlier. – Those of us at Tretten already notice the disadvantages of not having a bridge. It is part of our city centre, and Tretten is a small vulnerable community. We need the shops and services we have, and that is at risk if we don’t get that bridge in place as soon as possible, says Midtmageli. EXPECTING HELP: Øyer mayor Jon Halvor Midtmageli says the municipality expects the State to step in. Photo: Lars Erik Skrefsrud / news
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Can build a new bridge quickly – don’t have the money
