Construction work is now underway in Frankfurt, Germany for a €1.5 billion tunnel and road project. The new Riederwald Tunnel will provide an improved transport connection between the A66 and A661 Autobahn routes to the East of Frankfurt. The client for the project is Autobahn GmbH, while a substantial portion of the funding is being provided by the German Federal Government.
When the 1.1km tunnel is complete, it will help reduce traffic congestion in the Riederwald area of Frankfurt by an estimated 36%. The project is due for completion in 2033. At present, there is a 2.2km gap between the end of the A66, which heads eastwards from the city, and the A661 Eastern city bypass, which links with the A3 to the South and A5 to the North.
The project has been planned for some time, having been proposed back in 1989. However, it has been the subject of controversy as well as environmental concern. All this has delayed the start of the work, although the cut and cover tunnel option has been selected to protect the leafy Riederwald area of the city.
