The Southern Bridge (Latvian: Dienvidu tilts) crosses the Daugava river in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The bridge was constructed between 2004 and 2008, and was opened on November 17, 2008. Construction of the access roads lasted until 2013.
Because of the bridge's huge cost it also become colloquially known as The Golden Bridge (Zelta tilts).
Construction costs
The government control commission in a report for January 2002 to September 2008 showed that, during that period, costs increased fivefold – from a planned 108.84 million lats (154.87 million €) to 570.14 million lats (811.24 million €). In 2011 Riga City Council terminated the agreement with Southern Bridge third round builders due to lack of funds. In early 2012 Riga City Council signed agreement with the new constructors to carry out final works of third stage of the Southern bridge and borrowed an additional seven million euros for funding.
| Southern Bridge | |
| Locale | Riga, Latvia |
| Material | steel, concrete |
| Total length | 803 metres (2,635 ft) |
| Width | 34.28 metres (112.5 ft) |
| Height | 13 metres (43 ft) |
| Longest span | 110 metres (360 ft) |
| No. of spans | 7 |
| Clearance above | 8.5 metres (28 ft) |
| Construction start | 2004 |
| Construction cost | 811.24 M € (and counting) |
| Opened | 2008 |