Solidarity Bridges (Polish: Mosty Solidarnoà Âci) are a complex of six bridges (four road and two tram bridges) spanning the Brda and Mà Âynówka rivers in Bydgoszcz, Poland. They serve as a vital east-west transportation corridor along Ferdynanda Focha Street and include two roadways and a tram line.
The bridges are located just north of Bydgoszcz's Old Town, connecting both banks of the Brda and Mà Âynówka rivers. The route along Focha Street is one of the city's primary thoroughfares. Tram lines 1, 3, 5, and 8 run across the bridges.
Over time, the bridges and Focha Street have had several names reflecting political changes:
The original names referred to Prussian royalty and Bydgoszcz's port. The current name commemorates the Solidarity movement.
The first crossings were built before 1840, forming part of the route west from Bydgoszcz via Nakà Âo and Pià Âa.
Between 1885âÂÂ1890, the original bridges were replaced: Wilhelmsbrücke and Hafenbrücke were rebuilt with modern materials and aligned straight across both rivers. They featured steel and stone elements, decorative railings, and gas lamps.
The bridges were destroyed by Polish troops in September 1939, then temporarily rebuilt by German forces and destroyed again in January 1945.
In the 1950s, two new road bridges were built in reinforced prestressed concrete â the first in Poland to use cable-concrete technology â designed by M. Bieniek, M. Wolf, and H. à »Ã³à Âtowski.
In the 1970s, due to deterioration, tram speeds were limited. New tram and road bridges were built (1977âÂÂ1982), designed by Antoni Malczewski. The older bridges were then repaired and strengthened, a process completed in 1996.
In 2005, the Bydgoszcz City Council officially named the group of bridges "Solidarity Bridges". They are managed by the Municipal Roads and Public Transport Authority.
In 2019, unexpected wear on the southern bridges required additional structural repair, delaying completion until October.
The bridges handle one of the highest traffic volumes in Bydgoszcz. In 2006, peak hourly traffic reached around 2,330 vehicles.
The Solidarity Bridges offer views of Bydgoszcz landmarks such as the Bydgoszcz Cathedral, Opera Nova, and the MÃ Âyn Island. The Bydgoszcz Water Tram passes under the bridges several times daily (April to October).