Work is due to commence for a 13km stretch of the A20 Autobahn in North Germany. The stretch linking the A28 at Westerstrade with the A29 at Jaderberg and to the North of Oldenburg will be the first to be built, with the project being funded by the Federal Government. In total, the A20 will stretch 114km, with the construction work being carried out in seven stretches. Included in the project will be the construction of new tunnels running underneath the River Elbe and the River Weser.
The new stretch of A20 is intended to connect with the existing section, which runs from the north of Hamburg to close to the Polish border. This extended highway would boost transport for North Saxony, providing a new coastal route and providing an improved link between key ports such as Bremen and Hamburg.
The project is not without controversy, however. The proposed alignment for the new stretch of the A20 runs through areas of moorland, which the detractors say will cause major environmental damage. There have been protests against the project, with several hundred people taking part in demonstrations.
The project is managed by Germany’s stated-owned highway firm, Autobahn GmbH, and is costing an estimated €340 million.
