Reconstruction of the Markova Reka bridge begins, traffic on the Drachevo route expected to be affected

Reconstruction of the Markova Reka bridge to start today, residents warned of traffic disruptions

The City of Skopje says work on the main bridge before Drachevo will improve safety; the state roads company will lead the reconstruction but has not given a timeline.

Work on the main bridge over Markova Reka near the Drachevo neighbourhood begins today, after years of temporary repairs and visible deterioration that residents have long complained about. Until now potholes and surface damage were patched by the municipal Public Enterprise “Streets and Roads”; the full reconstruction will be carried out by the Public Enterprise for State Roads.

Traffic regime, temporary signals and calls for patience

“Due to the carrying out of construction works, in the coming period there may be disrupted traffic flow; as the City of Skopje, we ask you for patience, understanding and respect for traffic rules. The reconstruction of the bridge is an important step towards improving infrastructure and safety for all citizens,” the City of Skopje said this morning. Authorities warn that a temporary traffic regime and signalisation will regulate movement at the site.

The Public Enterprise for State Roads (the contractor) has not provided specific answers to questions about how long the reconstruction will block the route daily used by thousands of commuters, how alternate traffic will be organised, what the works will include in detail, and what the total cost will be. City officials directed further questions to the state roads company.

Residents of Drachevo say recent months have already made road connections to Skopje difficult. Works to widen and build segments of Boris Trajkovski Boulevard that lead to the Markova Reka bridge have created daily congestion and long queues. In April the municipality began reconstructing Kiro Fetak Street near the same bridge and announced that that road would be closed to traffic until October; that street is an important alternative route via Lisiche for many who otherwise use the Pintija direction.

Locals protested, asking how they are expected to commute for the next six months with several access streets blocked simultaneously, especially given ongoing widening works toward Drachevo. For now, however, a section of Kiro Fetak was reopened to traffic earlier than planned, before the bridge reconstruction began.

The need for a full overhaul of the bridge is underlined by an incident a few years ago when a large hole opened in the first span; fortunately no one was injured. Citizens notified the Centre for Crisis Management, which urged the responsible authorities to secure the bridge urgently because the hole posed a danger both to vehicles and to the structure’s static stability. The hole was later filled, but experts and residents say the bridge still needs complete reconstruction.

Photo: press material from the event