Belgrade’s New Ada Bridge

I mentioned the new bridge recently and we walked there on the weekend. I thought it might be nice to provide a detailed look of the works as they are at the moment. Some locals will find this informative, as I hope will my audience of friends, family and colleagues who have lived, worked or visited Belgrade but have not been here for awhile – the words have you in mind.

Why am I so interested? Why is the bridge so important? Well, the fact is that for the huge population of Belgrade that lives south and east of the Sava river, and south and east of the city, getting into the city and getting to New Belgrade is, and for many years has been chaotic, time-consuming and frustrating beyond expression. This huge population (most noticeable during rush hours but visible at all hours of all days) currently travels along the Sajam (Vojvode Misica) to the Gazela bridge or into the city along Savska or Knez Milos or heads to the same destinations through Senjak. Gazela was never built to handle the current level of traffic, and each approach one takes is incredibly slow.

The new bridge will handle all traffic to New Belgrade from the population of this part of the city. All of it. The Sajam and Gazela will no longer cater for this group of people, and will return to more normal traffic flows. Travel time (and engine-running time) will be reduced significantly. As a bonus, the bridge includes tram lines down the middle and pedestrian/ bike lanes in both directions, creating real opportunities for different types of commuting, opportunities that are severely hampered currently.

It is a very big construction, and for mine, very beautiful. Here is an external link:

All the photos below were taken by the Redhead with whom I share my life.

Entering From/ Exiting To Pozeska Street

Do you remember dipping down from Pozeska, near my green market in Banovo Brdo? You go left to head towards Vojvode Misica, Gazela and the Centre and right for the Hippodrome and the old level crossing.

Pozeska Street - heading towards the Centre.

This is the corner where you head down. The right turn is closed, all traffic being directed left. This is because the bridge will actually end (begin) right here (for Banovo Brdo). The approaches are being constructed.

Pozeska Street Bridge Approach

And another. I believe the Bridge will actually end almost exactly where the candy-striped sign is.

Bridge Approaches - End of Pozeska St

All of this is an aspect of what has been for me the most important part of the bridge development process other that the actual bridge over the Sava – addressing the dreadful hippodrome level crossing. Do you remember the level crossing? Staying in the queue on either side of the railway line for up to 45 minutes while a series of trains passed? Do you remember being the last car not let through, then waiting 8 or 10 minutes and then watching a two-car train pass? Do you remember your anger (I do!) when 6 or 8 idiots overtook 300 cars waiting (sort of) patiently for the boom gates to open and then forcing themselves in, in front of the queue?

All that has been in the past for some time now – probably 6 months – as the bridge development included removing this bottleneck. What does it look like now, and how will it finish? Let’s have a look.

The Hippodrome and the Level Crossing

Hippodrome, bridge in the distance

Hippodrome - road where we always approached the level crossing.

Nothing has changed, eh? Actually, all traffic from the Ibarska Magistrala was diverted here this day for bridge works. It is usually chaos these days (to remind us of the past) but not this bad.

The Bride's Current End

Here is a nice perspective of exactly what the current situation is: the pillars are almost complete that will allow this dead-end to be extended to the Pozeska bridge approaches as shown above. The cars that are visible are travelling on the old road to the level crossing – you can see here how the bridge is being built above that road through to its linkages onto Pozeska.

The Bridge Toward Pozeska

This is a shot back towards the current end of the bridge – the previous photo – from on the bridge. You can see how, after coming over the bridge from New Belgrade you turn right and this will be your route towards Banovo Brdo. This follows the path of the old road, and this photo was taken immediately above the old level crossing.

The Hippodrome Interchange

Coming from Banovo Brdo, this is where you will go left to the bridge or Vojvode Misica, right to Topciderski Zvezda and Red Star Stadium. There is no access from here for Senjak – that will happen underneath, on the old road.

Tunnel Entrance

Yes, that is correct. Ultimately the brown hill will become the tunnel entrance – the tunnel going under Senjak and coming out near Partizan Stadium.

The Bridge

This is the view across to the bridge from the Hippodrome Interchange. The rail line we used to have to cross over is visible below. The roadway curving up is the entrance to the upper level from the old road. The whole set of roads we use to drive on are being extensively re-worked as they will continue to be used for local access. The lighter section visible in front of the crane, in the background, is the bridge itself, curving around to the left before it straightens to go across the river.

From the Bridge

This shows where traffic will leave the bridge from New Belgrade.

From the Bridge

As does this. This is the view of where we will come from into the Hippodrome Interchange from the bridge. So on the other side of the fence on the right is the road out of the Hippodrome Interchange toward the bridge and Vojvode Misica/ Sajam.

From the Bridge

Another view of the exit route from the bridge. The curve of the bridge is quite noticeable on the left.

Under The Bridge – The Old Road

Entrance to the Interchange from the old roads.

Serbian Surfers

This is a view of the old road we travelled from/to Vojvode Misica/ the Sajam and to/ from the Hippodrome level crossing or further. You can see how it is being rebuilt and the construction of the bridge above.

Under the Bridge

Another perspective on the roads under the bridge.

Entrance to Hippodrome Interchange from the Old Road

So if you are leaving the actual Sajam and driving to Banovo Brdo via the Hippodrome Interchange you will come this way. If you are coming from Vojvode Misica you will come through the travel circle, The Radnicka Interchange - which is described below.

Under the Bridge - The Old Road

Nice shot of how the old road and the bridge work together. The next shot is from 180 degrees around – facing the river.

Under the Bridge

The bridge itself curves around to the left, the road ahead goes to Vojvode Misica and the Sajam.

The Bridge Frames The Bridge

Construction of the exit area from under the bridge out to the Sajam.

Upgraded Tram Tracks Next To The Bridge

The Bridge And The Radnicka Interchange

Here is another external link:

The Evolving Traffic Circle

For so long I was unsure how everything would tie together, as there are so many links required from and to the bridge. Then I learned about The Radnicka Interchange, under the bridge. This interchange, when completed, becomes an interchange for traffic onto and off the bridge from the Vojvode Misica, from Vojvode Misica towards the Hippodrome and vice versa, as well as to Banovo  Brdo.

Access From The Hippodrome Interchange To The Traffic Circle

The dead-end visible above will connect into the Radnicka Interchange. That connection is one way for people from Banovo Brdo to get onto Vojvode Misica, and to the Sajam.

The Radnicka Interchange From The Hippodrome Interchange

Visible behind me is the other end of that connection. The angle and perspective make it difficult to see the whole of the Radnicka Interchange, but the bridge itself is visible above. Visible also is how this part of the bridge leads onto the main section.

Connector Between Hippodrome Interchange And The Main Section

Here we can see the scaffolding underneath the connector between the Hippodrome Interchange and the main bridge section. The scaffolding will be removed soon as this section is complete. This scaffolding is actually beneath the connector to the Radnicka Interchange, with the main bridge behind.

Existing Tram Bridge

The lower bridge behind is the existing tram bridge from Vojvode Misica to Banovo Brdo. It will be brought into a soon to be built traffic circle for trams that will allow them to interchange between existing tracks and the new bridge.

The New Tram Bridge

The new bridge has tram lines down the middle. Construction of these tram lines is visible in this photo. While the roadway continues on the the Hippodrome Interchange, the tram lines will drop down to their own circle – the downward angle of the tracks is clearly visible.

Tramway and Roadway

Here is clearly visible the new roadway on the bridge with the downward angle of the new tramway and underneath that the existing tramway.

The three following are different views from directly below the bridge, from the existing tramway.

The Bridge From Beneath

The Bridge From Beneath

The Bridge From Beneath

As well as the Radnicka Interchange, it is also possible on one side of Vojvode Misica to get onto and off of the bridge. The following shot shows, in the distance, the exit from the bridge onto Vojvode Misica towards Ada Ciganlija. The foreground is the connection between the Hippodrome and the main section – almost completed.

Bridge Exit In The Distance

And below we have the entrance to the bridge from Vojvode Misica, at the Sajam. Note my favourite bridge in the foreground – it is probably being re-asphalted today again, for the 300th time this year. Throughout this whole process I had hoped some disaster would mean it would have to be rebuilt, but sadly this has not happened.

Entrance

Again, my favourite bridge and the entrance from Vojvode Misica. And below, entrance constructions causing traffic delays.

Entrance Construction

The Bridge

It has been a long process – the following show some perspectives on what we will have when it is done.

Update, 9 January 2012.

Sadly we were travelling in Romania (subject of a soon to be published post) the day of the Grand Opening, on 1 January. We arrived home yesterday and I’ve been over the bridge 8 times since then, twice when we arrived last night and 6 times today doing things. Previously ‘normal’ commute times to Delta City from home – 25 to 45 minutes. Today – maximum 15. I just think of all the time people are saving. All the engine idling being saved. I have no idea when I will cross the ‘old’ Gazela Bridge again – hopefully never.

We’ll walk around on the bridge soon, and post a further update, but here are phone photos from this morning.

Bridge access from the hippodrome.

From the Old City side towards New Belgrade.

It feels like normal living again, to travel short distances in short periods of time. Time will tell, but I am delighted so far.

 

Tags: Sava River