Bolshoy Krestovsky Bridge

Bolshoy Krestovsky Bridge across the Malaya Nevka river is located in the alignment of Bolshaya Zelenina Street and Petrogradskaya Street, and connects Krestovsky Island with Petrogradskaya Side.

The first bridge was constructed here in 1850. By 1928 11-span wooden bridge on timber supports with a central draw span, which consisted of 4 timber lifting decks, existed at this place. The bridge span was opened by manual winches. The bridge length was 126.4 meters, width - 17.9 meters.

Since 1946 the bridge was not opened due of the dilapidated state of the draw span. By 1948, the technical condition of the entire bridge needed major repairs.

The need for construction of a new bridge was due to not only poor technical condition, but also its position on the important traffic artery leading to the parks, stadiums, water bases, rest homes and sanatoriums.

In the years 1949-1951, under the project of engineer P.V. Andreewsky of Lengiproinzhproject and the architect L.A. Noskov, the bridge was rebuilt in 5-span metal simple bridge with a central draw span. Fixed spans were covered with 2-span continuous beams with solid walls of constant height. Bolshoy Krestovsky Bridge became the first major bridge built in Leningrad after the Great Patriotic War.

It was a twin-leaf bascule bridge with a fixed axis of rotation, with fixed counterweights. In the closed state, it is a cantilever beam with a longitudinally-movable hinge in the middle part. The spans are opened by the electric actuator.

The draw span supports consist of double piers connected by reinforced concrete decorative arches instead of single thick legs, usually constructed in bridges with draw spans. Supports are constructed of in-situ reinforced concrete on the pile foundation made of metal pipe piles filled with concrete.

The roadway coating on fixed spans – asphalt-concrete on reinforced concrete slab, and on draw span it was the timber decking, which in 1994 was replaced by orthotropic plates with a polyurethane coating. On the sidewalks there is sand asphalt (fixed spans); and polyurethane covering were on the draw span.

The sidewalk is separated from the roadway; at fixed spans - with high granite curb, and at draw span – with the metal one.

The bridge length is of 149.4 meters on the rear walls of abutments; width is of 25.5 meters, including: roadway - 14.3 meters, tram lane - 6.7 meters, and two sidewalks – each of 2.25 meters.

Cast iron railing consisting of gratings and bollards is installed on the bridge. A granite parapet is mounted on the abutments and foundations of the bridge.

Reconstruction of 2005-2006 included the repair of metal structures of the draw span of the bridge. In 2007, reconstruction was carried out in order to restore waterproofing and asphalt pavement on fixed spans and thin polymer coating on the roadway of the draw span.

Bolshoy Krestovsky Bridge is not included in the Bridge Schedule of the City: its average span rises only a few times a year by a prior request.