In Irkutsk, a bridge over the Ushakovka, deemed unsafe and long past its service life, was closed for repairs. 11 million rubles were allocated for restoration, and until early June drivers will have to use detours and nearby bridges, where traffic jams have already formed. After repairs, the bridge will again be temporary, and in the future authorities plan to build a permanent four lane bridge nearby.

On Wednesday, the bridge over the Ushakovka River was closed for repairs. According to road workers, this is a forced measure: it is in an emergency condition. It is expected that the crossing will be reopened in early June. In the meantime, motorists will have to look for detour routes.
This bridge over the Ushakovka River connects two streets — Kultukskaya and Ushakovskaya. Thousands of cars pass over it every day.
According to specialists, this structure was built as a temporary one. And over eleven years of operation, the timber decking across the entire roadway has almost completely rotted away. So traveling across the bridge was becoming more dangerous with each passing day. Eleven million rubles will be spent on its repair. Anatoly Tkach, director of Irkutsk’s Bridge Maintenance Service, says that the service life of such wooden structures is seven years. This bridge over the Ushakovka has lasted almost four years longer than its intended service life. The asphalt only creates the appearance of a reliable structure. However, the dilapidation is obvious — it is revealed by numerous patches, evidence of repeated repairs to the roadway.
As Irkutsk Deputy Mayor Nikolai Khitsenko said, eleven million rubles have been allocated from the city budget for the repairs. The necessary materials have been purchased, and there is enough equipment and manpower. According to the schedule, all work must be completed within two months.
Rotten wooden beams will be replaced with fresh ones — treated with a special solution. They will also be made of wood, with a guaranteed service life of 10 years. During the repair period
Until June 5, motorists will have to use neighboring bridges: on Engelsa and Urozhaynaya streets, and they will also have to spend time not only on detours, but also in traffic jams. Just two hours after the structure was closed, congestion formed on the remaining three bridges over the Ushakovka.
After the repair, this crossing will once again become temporary. City authorities plan to build a permanent four-lane bridge nearby. The project is scheduled for 2012, but the construction timeline may shift due to financial difficulties. Therefore, the temporary bridge will most likely have to serve for at least another 10 years.