Starting signal for B169: Major construction projects between Salbitz and Riesa!

Starting signal for B169: Major construction projects between Salbitz and Riesa!

In the coming years, the new B169 between Salbitz and the B6 will be an issue in the Saxony region. Preparations for this extensive construction project are already in full swing this year. Markus Heier, head of the Leipzig branch of the State Office for Road Construction and Transport (Lasuv), points to the complex challenges that must be overcome before construction actually begins. A precise year for the start of traffic on the new route remains uncertain for the time being, but the first steps have already been taken, as lvz.de reports.

Preparatory measures for construction are currently underway. These include the challenge of overcoming a 300,000-volt power line. In order to ensure the required distance between the power lines and the road, the operator 50Hertz Transmission GmbH will install new, higher masts. This work is expected to begin at the end of July, following completion of the previous archaeological survey of the site.

The technical and environmental requirements

Another item on the agenda is the laying of a high-pressure gas pipeline. The B169 will run in a cutting, which will require the gas pipe to be laid up to ten meters deep. What is interesting here is that the laying will be carried out partly using open methods and partly using drilling fluid processes. Due to the clayey subsoil, there is a risk of settlement, which is why it must be consolidated. A “technological pause” will be necessary to wait for settlement before actual road construction begins.

The main construction work is planned for 2027 with a total budget of an impressive 60 million euros. This raises the question of construction time all the more, although this cannot be specified before the first contract is awarded. What is certain, however, is that this project is one of the key projects in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan (BVWP) 2030, emphasizes bmv.de.

Important connections for the region

The entire project includes a total of five sub-projects and is 34.2 kilometers long. The expansion of the B169 is not only important for regional traffic, but also for the supra-regional connection to the A 13 and A 14 motorways. The future average traffic load is estimated at around 300 vehicles per day in the reference case in 2030, while in the planned case it is even assumed that it will be 600 vehicles. This shows how important it is to adapt the existing infrastructure to increasing requirements, as bundesland-sachsen.de also highlights.

The urgency of the project is clear: the current condition of the B169 does not meet the requirements for a supra-regional connection function. Rapid implementation will not only improve the traffic situation in the region, but also facilitate cross-regional exchange. It therefore remains to be seen how the coming months will develop and when actual construction can begin. One thing is certain, however: the new B169 will play a key role in Saxony's 2025 state transport plan.