basic project information
- beneficiary Statutární město Mladá Boleslav
- location of support Mladá Boleslav
- year of support 2019
- amount of contribution 26,000,000 Kč
Listening to the public and strategic partnerships. The dialogue helped build a footbridge in Mladá Boleslav
On May 23, a new footbridge for cyclists and pedestrians across the Jizera in Mladá Boleslav was ceremonially opened. The construction was initiated by the Škoda Auto Endownment fund (NFŠA), which was inspired by the wishes of citizens based on a public opinion survey. In addition, fund contributed 26 million crowns, which is more than a third of the total costs. Other expenses up to 83 million were covered by subsidies from the European Union, funds from the city of Mladá Boleslav and the Central Bohemian Region. The construction was significantly supported by the KOVO MB Union and the Škoda Auto company. This is a great example of how cooperation between the public, private and non-profit sectors, built on the principles of dialogue, can work in the regions.
Renowned architect Josef Pleskot took care of the design, and the new footbridge over the Jizera matches the shape and construction of the existing railway bridge. It thus preserves the legacy of classic transport infrastructure and moves it into the future in line with the development of society and trends in personal transport. The footbridge, which measures a total of 196 meters including the forecourt and connects to the strategic long-distance Greenway Jizera cycle route, was sensitively embedded in the existing landscape, and further reclamation of the adjacent area along the river to the confluence with the Klenicy is also planned. Here, the recreation strip "Nábřežní park" is being prepared, which will also serve as a safety zone to protect the surrounding buildings in case of floods.
At the beginning of the project were several active citizens, employees of Škoda Auto, who had been developing the first thoughts about a footbridge in this area, which is known locally as "Česana", since 2011. The meaningfulness of this plan was confirmed by a public opinion survey, carried out by NFŠA, in which residents Mladoboleslavska expressed the need for a better connection of both banks of the Jizera in this area. The fund subsequently took the initiative and opened a dialogue with potential partners. The result is joint financing in the PPP model, connecting the resources of the NFŠA, the city and the European Union. Dialogue with the public and across various sectors literally builds bridges in Mladoboleslavsk, apart from the one "near Česana", we can also mention, for example, the footbridge over the D10 highway near Mnichova Hradiště, which went through a similar process.
It is necessary to mention that NFŠA initiatives in the field of transport connect people in other ways than just through bridges. For the fifth season, the fund has been successfully developing the shared bike project in Mladá Boleslav and Kosmonosy, and is now launching the third season in Mnichov Hradiště. NFŠA implements similar projects to improve transport and the environment not only in Mladoboleslavsk, but also in other regions where Škoda Auto operates.