The Riga City Council Committee Will Consider the Issue of Ferry Services Across the Daugava 0 12

The working group established by the municipality concluded that the connection between the two banks of the river in the northern part of the city should be organized in cooperation with the Freeport of Riga, using the already existing docks.

All coastal areas owned by the city in the lower reaches of the Daugava were examined; however, none of them proved suitable for the construction of new docks, access roads, and platforms.

According to preliminary estimates, the construction of the docks would cost 10–15 million euros, and the design and implementation would take at least five years. Therefore, it was decided to consider the existing port infrastructure.

The most suitable locations identified are:

• Dock KR21 in Voleri,
• Dock EO11 in Sarkandaugava.

Both locations have convenient access to highways and are located outside residential areas, which reduces noise risks and traffic safety issues. In Voleri, there is access to Daugavgrivas Street, and in Sarkandaugava, there is access to Urkestes Street with further connection to the Eastern Highway and the Southern Bridge.

The placement of docks in the industrial area of the port minimizes the impact on the residential environment. Additionally, these locations already have the necessary infrastructure — docks, platforms, roads, and maneuvering areas, which significantly reduces costs. Mainly, only the installation of ramps and individual technical elements will be required.

The working group believes that launching the Vecmilgravis — Bolderaja route will provide several advantages:

• improve the mobility of residents,
• reduce the load on bridges and main roads,
• shorten cargo transportation time to one hour,
• decrease the number of traffic accidents and the level of air pollution.

Furthermore, the project may contribute to the development of industrial areas in Bolderaja, Vecmilgravis, and Sarkandaugava.

For transportation, it is proposed to use large ROPAX-type ferries designed for cars, trucks, and passengers. Such vessels:

• are up to 80 m long and 18 m wide,
• have a carrying capacity of about 300 tons,
• can travel at speeds of 10–14 knots (18–26 km/h),
• can carry up to 65 passenger cars or up to 14 trucks and about 100 passengers.

It was previously reported that the Riga City Council instructed to assess the feasibility of creating such a route after receiving a collective statement signed by 2,331 residents.