RIGA — Riga’s mayor Nils Ušakovs said that the commencement of completion of the problem-ridden Southern Bridge can wait until October this year when a new government will be able to give the city funding.

The bridge, which is believed to be one of the most expensive ever built in Europe because of untold graft and incompetence, is still not complete even though construction[private_supervisor] began six years ago. The bridge itself is complete, but cannot be used for the most part because it lacks on and off ramps and suitable approach roads.

The central government’s committments to budget constraints mean that all funding for the completion of the bridge, which is supposed to ease Riga’s chronic traffic problems, has been pulled leaving the city itself to foot the bill.

The city itself cannot afford the bridge and Ušakovs is hoping that after the upcoming elections that the new government would be able to allocate the project funding anywhere between 5-14 million lats (€7.1-20 million euros).

“If we have even the minimal probability of obtaining the financing that would be after the elections, when the new government will be in, we will wait until October. Then let us see whether European financing can be used for this purpose,” said Ušakovs, indicating that the payment of 5-7 million lats would never be too late.

The bridge is estimated to need around 14 million lats to be complete, Dienas Bizness reported. It should be complete by 2012.

The 803 meter bridge has six lanes, three in each direction, two bicycle paths, and two sidewalks.[/private_supervisor][private_subscription 1 month] began six years ago. The bridge itself is complete, but cannot be used for the most part because it lacks on and off ramps and suitable approach roads.

The central government’s committments to budget constraints mean that all funding for the completion of the bridge, which is supposed to ease Riga’s chronic traffic problems, has been pulled leaving the city itself to foot the bill.

The city itself cannot afford the bridge and Ušakovs is hoping that after the upcoming elections that the new government would be able to allocate the project funding anywhere between 5-14 million lats (€7.1-20 million euros).

“If we have even the minimal probability of obtaining the financing that would be after the elections, when the new government will be in, we will wait until October. Then let us see whether European financing can be used for this purpose,” said Ušakovs, indicating that the payment of 5-7 million lats would never be too late.

The bridge is estimated to need around 14 million lats to be complete, Dienas Bizness reported. It should be complete by 2012.

The 803 meter bridge has six lanes, three in each direction, two bicycle paths, and two sidewalks.[/private_subscription 1 month][private_subscription 4 months] began six years ago. The bridge itself is complete, but cannot be used for the most part because it lacks on and off ramps and suitable approach roads.

The central government’s committments to budget constraints mean that all funding for the completion of the bridge, which is supposed to ease Riga’s chronic traffic problems, has been pulled leaving the city itself to foot the bill.

The city itself cannot afford the bridge and Ušakovs is hoping that after the upcoming elections that the new government would be able to allocate the project funding anywhere between 5-14 million lats (€7.1-20 million euros).

“If we have even the minimal probability of obtaining the financing that would be after the elections, when the new government will be in, we will wait until October. Then let us see whether European financing can be used for this purpose,” said Ušakovs, indicating that the payment of 5-7 million lats would never be too late.

The bridge is estimated to need around 14 million lats to be complete, Dienas Bizness reported. It should be complete by 2012.

The 803 meter bridge has six lanes, three in each direction, two bicycle paths, and two sidewalks.[/private_subscription 4 months][private_subscription 1 year] began six years ago. The bridge itself is complete, but cannot be used for the most part because it lacks on and off ramps and suitable approach roads.

The central government’s committments to budget constraints mean that all funding for the completion of the bridge, which is supposed to ease Riga’s chronic traffic problems, has been pulled leaving the city itself to foot the bill.

The city itself cannot afford the bridge and Ušakovs is hoping that after the upcoming elections that the new government would be able to allocate the project funding anywhere between 5-14 million lats (€7.1-20 million euros).

“If we have even the minimal probability of obtaining the financing that would be after the elections, when the new government will be in, we will wait until October. Then let us see whether European financing can be used for this purpose,” said Ušakovs, indicating that the payment of 5-7 million lats would never be too late.

The bridge is estimated to need around 14 million lats to be complete, Dienas Bizness reported. It should be complete by 2012.

The 803 meter bridge has six lanes, three in each direction, two bicycle paths, and two sidewalks.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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