A14 motorway: Construction stop threatens economy and traffic in Prignitz!

A14 motorway: Construction stop threatens economy and traffic in Prignitz!

The largest motorway project in East Germany has gotten into a tailspin. The northern extension of the A 14 motorway between Seehausen and Wittenberge is to be continued, but the Federal Ministry of Transport and Autobahn GmbH are under pressure. The question arises: How can traffic flow be maintained while there is a massive financial gap of 670 million euros? The bureaucratic apparatus is working on solutions, but uncertainty remains as the federal budgets for 2025 and 2026 are not yet in force. These circumstances have led to fears of a construction halt and are fueling concerns about a possible traffic collapse in the region.

What is also important for local business people are the plans and the condition of the A 14 expansion. “That’s not possible, credibility towards us entrepreneurs suffers as a result,” notes Lutz Lange, chairman of the Westprignitz Economic Initiative, critically. After all, many settlements in the region took place under the premise that the highway was coming. The gap from Wittenberge to Karstädt remains for the time being, and the main construction work is not planned for 2027 at the earliest. “The attractiveness for skilled workers is decreasing,” adds Sandra Perabo, managing director of TGZ Prignitz.

A mammoth project with many challenges

The northern extension of the A 14 from Magdeburg via Wittenberge to Schwerin is, at around 155 kilometers, the largest gap in the German motorway network and is estimated to cost over 1.7 billion euros. When completed, it will not only strengthen cross-regional connections, but will also be hugely economical for the region. Closing the gap will improve the previously freeway-free region between the A 2, A 7, A 24 and A 10 motorways, which represents a great opportunity for companies in the central German economic area to be directly connected to the European network. DEGES has already started planning and implementing various sections, but the section from Wittenberge to Karstädt is still in the balance.

The IHK Potsdam is therefore urgently calling for financial security to close the gap in the A 14 in order not to endanger economic development. “We need planning security,” said the IHK. Ultimately, a functioning road network is essential for logistics and transport - the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility predicts an increase in transport traffic on German roads by 50 million tonnes by 2024.

A look at the road construction projects

There are currently 144 transport projects running in Germany that are of outstanding public interest. The goal is clear: the planning times for traffic routes should be halved. The Approval Acceleration Act ensures faster adaptation to the needs of road users. North Rhine-Westphalia is in the lead with 44 projects, followed by Hesse and Bavaria. Fast progress is also important for the A 14 in order to pave the way for increasing transport volumes.

It remains to be seen whether the highway will continue or whether the bottlenecks and traffic jams will slow down economic development. What is clear, however, is that closing the A 14 gap is crucial for the future of the region and should be a top priority for those responsible.

For further information about the A 14 motorway project and its planning, take a look at the reporting from Northern Courier, the DEGES as well as the comprehensive analysis of road construction in Germany by car motor and sport.