The construction of the new collector on Česká–Středova in the centre of Brno was launched this morning with the ceremonial tapping of the mining reinforcements. The technologically challenging project will begin with monitoring of the foundations of the buildings on Česká, to ensure they are secure. Before the collector is excavated, water and steam pipes in the area will be relocated so that the supply of heat and hot water is not disrupted.
“The construction of a more than 200-metre collector is one of the most important investment projects starting this year,” said Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková. “It is important primarily for the future life of the residents of the street and the businesses located here. Thanks to the networks stored in the collector, any problems can be solved simply and without excavation. The new collector will also enable further development and easier connection of modern technologies, such as optical networks and smart city systems. Another undeniable positive of the project is that Česká Street itself, one of the busiest arteries in Brno, will be repaired.”
The construction site will be handed over to the contractors at the beginning of August, and is expected to take three years from that point. The contractors association for the project is ‘SFP – Kolektor ČÁRA’, consisting of Subterra a.s., Firesta-Fišer Reconstruction and Buildings a.s., and POHL cz, a.s. The total cost of the project is estimated at CZK 585 million, excluding VAT.
In the initial phase, the work mainly concerns the safety of the buildings along Česká.
“First, the builders will start monitoring the foundations of houses on Česká, using hand-dug probes,” said René Černý, 1st Deputy Mayor of Brno. “At the same time, the outdated heat distribution pipes, which have been run under the road in reinforced concrete channels, will be relocated. These will then be replaced in the collector with energy-saving modern hot water pipes.”
When reconnected, the hot water pipes will provide more efficient distribution of heat energy, savings to customers, and economic benefits to Teplárny Brno. The temporary relocation will run along one side of the street below the surface; it will only be visible above ground near the entrances to buildings.
The probes will be filled in by the end of October, according to the estimated construction schedule. Based on their results, workers will then begin securing the buildings to prevent damage, mainly by using special foundations, which will also ensure that the surface is stable during the excavation of the collector.
“Collectors increase the safety, reliability and continuity of energy and water supplies, and easier access to installed networks also reduces the costs of maintenance,” said Michal Chládek, chairman of the board of directors of Technické sítě Brno, the investor in the construction. “It is precisely in the historical centres of cities, where architectural heritage is combined with vibrant life, that the benefit of collectors is undeniable, because it eliminates excavations on the surface of roads, which always disrupt the comfort of residents.”
Other city companies are also participating in the construction of the Česká–Středova collector, including Brněnské komunikace, Brněnské vodárny a kanalizace and Teplárny Brno.
During the work, passage through Česká will be restricted. Pedestrians will initially use a designated route leading down the middle of the street, and then after the probes have been filled in, pedestrians will pass via the sides of the street instead. Those who are using Česká solely as a thoroughfare are recommended to use parallel routes, such as Rašínova, Veselá or Běhounská.
In agreement with the contractors association, only the most essential work will be carried out on the construction site during the Christmas period, so that the construction causes the minimum possible disruption for local residents, businesses, visitors and customers.
Further information and updates on the project can be found on the Co bude, Brno? website.
