The reconstruction of a bridge connecting two communities in Yerevan that has already lasted for a year will take another eight months, says city official overseeing the project, who expects the facility to be reopened November 1.

Garegin Njdeh Bridge commonly referred to by the locals as Vstrech (a slightly mispronounced Russian word for “meeting point”) was closed in February 2009 for major repairs for the first time in more than four decades. Since then traffic between two large suburban communities of Yerevan had to be diverted, creating problems for motorists and the local residents.

The bridge built in 1965 had come into decay over the years of use and required urgent fortification work. Research and tests were commissioned by city authorities in 2007 and a decision was made to repair the bridge. But shortly after the work began it turned out that the bridge actually needed a major rebuilding rather than repairs. The work stopped indefinitely pending readjustments in the project causing considerable discontent among local residents.

Talking to media at the site on Tuesday, Yerevan Municipality Programs Implementation Office Director Levon Hakobyan said that Kamurjshin Co that won the tender for the reconstruction of the bridge has launched the work.

Hakobyan also said that 15 of 29 garages under the bridge had been built without proper authorization and have already been dismantled and meanwhile owners of 12 legally constructed garages do not wish to clear the territory.

“The government will declare the territories as those of prevailing public interest and these garages will be dismantled,” said Hakobyan, adding that as compensation the owners of the dismantled garages will be offered to keep their cars for three years free of charge in the car park to be built under the bridge later.

The bridge will not undergo schematic alterations during the reconstruction, but according to Hakobyan, the seismic resistance of the bridge will be increased so that the facility can withstand an earthquake measuring 9 instead of 7. Also, the bridge’s carrying capacity will be increased from current 30 to 70 percent, say the project officials, adding that the rebuilt facility will have new balustrades and beautiful lighting.

Yerevan’s municipality has allocated a total of 1.8 billion drams (about $3.3 million) for the project.