The start of change in Vilkp?d?: a bridge and other connections to neighbouring parts of the city

Vilkpėdė, an industrial area that many Vilnius residents have never seen before, is about to change. Situated on the lower terrace of the River Neris, the district, its industrial spaces and the nature that intervenes between them, is an area with great potential for transformation. In a part of the city just 5 kilometres from the Old Town, Vilnius Municipality, together with Vilniaus Plan, sees opportunities for the conversion of an industrial area. The changes will start with the development of a network of pedestrian paths and connections to Vilkpėde from other parts of the city. This could be followed by the adaptation of the industrial areas for public use. “Vilkpėde is an arena for major changes. The area, which is currently more of an industrial zone, surrounded by the River Neris and forests, has all the potential to become a fully-fledged part of the city. Strengthening connections and promoting new activities are just the first steps in a long process of transformation”, says Milda Žekonytė, Head of the Territorial Planning Group at Vilniaus Plan, about the transformation of Vilkpėdė. One of the first projects is the reconstruction of the Bukčių Bridge, built in 1957. It will restore the pedestrian link with Lazdynai. After the reconstruction, the bridge will be reborn under the new name of the Elektrinė Bridge and will form a link across the Neris between the planned cycle paths on the left side of the river at Eigulių Street and Elektrinės Street and the planned cycle paths on the right side of the river at Miškinių Street and the Lazdynai district. In 2021, an expert examination of the bridge showed that only the existing cables were suitable for operation. The reconstruction project will seek to restore the original design of the bridge by retaining the ropes, but the former metal structures are no longer in use due to corrosion. The design proposals for the reconstruction of the Power Station Bridge are being prepared by TEC Infrastructure.