The crown of the Brno Dam will undergo extensive reconstruction, requiring a complete closure of the crossing over the dam from the end of September. The dam will be completely closed from 29 September 2026 until December 2027. Alternative and bypass routes will be in place for pedestrians and other transport. The reconstruction will cost CZK 46.2 million.
The existing bridge dates back to 1940 and has been in service for more than 85 years. Its technical condition no longer meets current safety and operation requirements, and the structure therefore requires complete renovation.
“As part of the construction work, all nine blocks of the dam crown will be demolished and a new structure will be built from prefabricated prestressed beams,” said David Fína, General Director of the Moravian River Basin. “The construction will include new reinforced concrete bridge structures, bridge ends, new waterproofing, railings and new road surfaces and, last but not least, a new ramp for placing containers for the disposal of floating debris and waste. The new dam crown will be very similar in appearance to the existing one.”
The Moravian River Basin has already completed the tender for the contractor, which will be IDS Olomouc. “After an agreement with the contractor, we managed to shorten the complete closure of the dam by almost a month,” said Fina. “We believe that this shift will help at least partially mitigate the impacts of the reconstruction on visitors to the site and local residents.”
He added that the start of the preparatory work is planned for 15 September 2026, when the contractor will start loading the material. During this phase, the dam will remain passable, but the crossing will be closed completely on 29 September, and will remain closed until December 2027.
Pedestrians will have access via stairs on both sides of the dam to the dam base, with the possibility of crossing using a footbridge approximately 800 metres downstream by the football field in Kníničky. Alternatively, it is possible to take bus 302 from Zoologická zahrada to U Památníku, and walk along U Památníku and Rekreační to reach the dam – this route is more suitable for families with strollers and people with reduced mobility.
The alternative route for passenger transport will lead along Rekreační street via Kníničky one-way to the harbour from the U Lva restaurant. In the opposite direction from the harbour, a diversion will lead via Rozdrojovice and Rozdrojovická past the Maximus Resort hotel back to Hrázní.
The full closure will be preceded by a partial closure of the dam from 31 August to 14 September, which is related to the maintenance of a small hydroelectric power plant. After the work is completed, traffic on the bridge will be managed as a shared zone for pedestrians and vehicles with speed restrictions in place. Together with new lighting, this should ensure greater safety of traffic and visitors to the Brno Dam in the future.
The investor of the project is the Moravian River Basin, with repairs expected to cost CZK 46.2 million excluding VAT.
According to Petr Kratochvíl, Brno city councillor for transport, the city is participating in the repair of the dam in two ways. The first is by paying for the final repairs of the road and the replacement of the water supply to Kníničky, for approximately CZK 6.6 million. The city will also pay CZK 700,000 for other incidental costs based on the co-financing agreement. In total, CZK 7.3 million will be financed by the City of Brno, and the rest of the price, almost CZK 39 million, will be paid by the Moravian River Basin.
“The Brno Dam is one of the most popular places where Brno residents go to relax or play sports,” Kratochvíl added. “I understand that the reconstruction will be difficult for both cyclists and pedestrians, as well as for drivers, but in cooperation with the Moravian River Basin we have tried to coordinate the work as best as possible and shorten it as much as possible.”
