Construction stop on the A14 in Wittenberge: What does that mean for the region?

Construction stop on the A14 in Wittenberge: What does that mean for the region?

There is currently a lot of discussion going on in the region around Wittenberge. The reason for this is the unclear financial framework conditions, which could result in a possible halt to construction of the A14 motorway. Loud maz-online.de This could not only affect the construction of the important A14 Elbe bridge, but also the new construction of the B189 bridge. Johannes Blankenheim, spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Transport, emphasized that the 2025 and 2026 budgets are not yet in force, which creates additional uncertainty.

Despite this critical situation, Autobahn GmbH has made it clear that construction work on the A14 should continue without delay. The German Unity Trunk Road Planning and Construction GmbH (Deges) is continuing the ongoing work and preparing upcoming construction work. The sections of the A14 already under construction are scheduled to be completed by 2030. Wilhelm Borgwardt, an entrepreneur from the region, appears calm, but admits that the concerns of the surrounding towns are not unfounded.

Calls for clarity and room for maneuver

The managing director of the Wittenberge Technology and Commercial Center, Sandra Perabo, expresses concerns that a lack of motorway connection could have a negative impact on settlements and the recruitment of skilled workers. The city of Wittenberge has already sent a request to the Ministry of Infrastructure to obtain more clarity about the situation. The background to these uncertainties is the dissolution of the traffic light coalition, which led to the lack of a parliamentary majority for the federal budget.

Loud mdr.de warned Saxony-Anhalt of possible delays and increasing costs and also demanded clarity from the federal government. Federal Minister Lydia Hüskens criticizes the inadequate communication, which affects trust in political decisions.

A look at the infrastructure plans

However, the federal government plans to invest a whopping 166 billion euros in infrastructure by 2029, primarily to renovate ailing railway lines and motorway bridges. Around 107 billion euros are to flow into rail, while 52 billion are planned for federal roads and 8 billion for waterways. This information comes from tagesschau.de and show how much the focus is on long-term improvement of the transport infrastructure.

Despite the high investment amounts, there are currently no financial resources available for new buildings such as the A14, which further increases the uncertainty. There has been a freeze on tenders for new motorway construction trades since mid-July, which those responsible consider to be unacceptable.

The budget for 2025 is due to be decided in September, but the budgets that have already been drawn up still leave many questions unanswered. The coming weeks will be crucial for what happens next with the A14 and the associated funding.