Prague’s southern bypass opens

but amidst controversy. "There were the usual smiles and handshakes as President Vaclav Klaus, Prague Mayor Pavel Bém and other top officials cut the ribbon at the opening of a long-awaited new bypass on the south-western outskirts of Prague on Monday morning". This will allow drivers to skirt the city and will speed up travel times.

But, the Head of the Transport Ministry said: “In the past few hours I have had to decide whether to open the southern bypass or not. An inspection of the work revealed three badly sealed joints in construction – which some consider to be a serious problem. I trust the opinion of experts at the Prague Technical University, who have assured me that these faults will have no impact on the structural integrity of the bridge. I also await impatiently the outcome of an independent study from the Technical University of Innsbruck.

Although expert opinion is divided on the matter, the Transport Ministry says it is perfectly safe to open the 23 kilometer stretch of road which cost 20 Billion crowns, and is the The costliest construction project in the country’s history.