The Restoration Service explained why there is no lighting on the Inhulskyi and Varvarivskyi bridges

Ingulsky Bridge in Mykolaiv, July 2020, photo: Andriy Dronov

The Inhulskyi and Varvarivskyi bridges in Mykolaiv are not illuminated due to «limited funding».

This was reported to NikVesti by the Mykolaiv Region Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service in response to an information request.

As is well known, street lighting is being turned off in Mykolaiv to reduce the load on the power system, including outdoor street lighting, advertising and lighting on municipal roads. However, as reported by Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych, bridges, main roads and accident-prone areas are exceptions.

«Given the limited funding and the priority allocation of budget funds for defence and community life support measures, it is currently not possible to ensure the full functioning of lighting on the Inhulskyi and Varvarivskyi bridges,» the Service reports.

Response to information request NikVesti, screenshot

Response to information request NikVesti, screenshot

The Service added that street lighting on the Inhulskyi and Varvarivskyi bridges will be turned on when the situation stabilises and funding becomes available.

As a reminder, since October 2023, the Inhulskyi and Varvarivskyi bridges in Mykolaiv have been state-owned. After that, the then Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Mustafa Naiiem, announced plans to repair the bridges.

In 2023, there were several breakdowns on the bridge. The first occurred on 6 December, the second on 20 December. At that time, ELU Avtodor reported that there was an emergency situation with the structure of part of the Varvarivskyi Bridge. The third traffic collapse occurred due to a breakdown of part of the Varvarivskyi Bridge on 2 February 2024. And on 5 April, the bridge suffered a fourth emergency breakdown. It turned out that a metal plate had come loose on the bridge.

After the completion of repair work on the Varvarivskyi Bridge, two-way traffic will be launched on it. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2026. The Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service in the Mykolaiv region plans to spend another 54.4 million hryvnias on the repair of part of the Varvarivskyi Bridge.