Riga City Council has awarded the contract to Vanšu Tilts, a consortium comprising SIA Hanza Construction Group, SIA Tilts, and SIA Baltic Design Bureau of Engineering Structures ‘Vektors T’. The contract covers both design and construction phases over 36 months, 12 months for design and 24 months for works.
The scope includes replacing all cables, installing protective covers, resurfacing asphalt pavement, and creating dedicated pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. These upgrades aim to extend the bridge’s lifespan and improve safety and accessibility.
This award follows a failed tender in 2024, when the only bid submitted was nearly €100 million (US$108 million), far exceeding the municipality’s indicative budget of €42 million (US$45.36 million). That tender was cancelled, and requirements were revised before the successful procurement in 2025, which attracted two bids: the Vanšu Tilts consortium (US$75.38 million) and BBVA (US$75.92 million).
Vanšu Bridge over the Daugava River in Riga (LETA/Zane Bitere (via Latvian Public Media))
Vanšu Bridge, opened in 1981, is a cable-stayed structure spanning the Daugava River and connecting central Riga with the Pardaugava district. It measures 593.6m in length, with a main pylon height of 108.7m, and is a critical artery for vehicular traffic.
Featuring a distinctive design with a single pylon and fan-shaped cable arrangement, the bridge had been classified as being in poor technical condition for years, with pathologies including large cracks on sidewalks and asphalt pavement.
A real-time structural health monitoring system was installed on the bridge in August 2025 to enhance safety ahead of reconstruction. Developed by Latvian start-up Adventum Tech as part of Riga’s Smart City program, the system uses three-axis tilt and vibration sensors to monitor vibration impact, structural deformation and load distribution.
The bridge is planned to be completed and operational by 2028.
