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A100 opening in Berlin: protests and criticism of the most expensive motorway construction!
On August 27, 2025, the 16th section of the A100 will open in Berlin - protests and criticism of transport and climate policy have been announced.
A100 opening in Berlin: protests and criticism of the most expensive motorway construction!
On August 27, 2025, the 16th construction phase of the A100 motorway will be officially opened in Berlin. The opening will take place in the Hotel Estrel at Ziegrastraße 41 and will be accompanied by a ceremony, which will, however, be closed to the public. A large number of protests are to be expected on this occasion. Demonstrations are being organized under the motto “End of the Autostadt” against the further expansion of the A100. Critics of the highway describe it as a “highway to climate hell,” which illustrates the tensions surrounding the project.
The A100 is not only a significant infrastructure project, but also the most expensive motorway project in Germany with construction costs of around 720 million euros. The construction section is 3.2 kilometers long, including a 385-meter-long tunnel. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 2013, but the project was delayed due to the complex requirements, which particularly included noise protection measures and ecological aspects.
Protests and demands
At the same time as the opening, a rally by the “A100 wegbassen” alliance is planned for the same day at 1 p.m. The demonstrators are demanding, among other things, an immediate stop to further motorway construction and a social and ecological mobility transition. Emiko Gejic from the Club Commission Berlin warns that further construction of the A100 endangers clubs and cultural sites, while Gabi Jung from BUND Berlin emphasizes that this project is harmful to the climate and the environment.
The symbolism of the protest is underlined by huge red letters that represent the “END” of the highway. Many opponents, including Nils Kleinwächter from Fridays for Future, agree that further construction is not only harmful to the climate, but will also worsen air quality and increase noise levels in neighboring areas.
Criticism of transport policy
Friedemann Kunst, a former urban and transport planner, is skeptical about the current transport policy in Germany. According to data from the Federal Agency for Civic Education, transport accounts for around a fifth of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. In 2019, the transport sector emitted around 165 million tonnes of CO2. The need for a profound transformation of the transport sector is therefore evident in order to achieve the federal government's climate goals.
So far, motorized individual transport has dominated, which contradicts the transport transition that many see as overdue. The federal transport infrastructure plan provides 133 billion euros for road construction, while only 112 billion euros are planned for rail expansion. The ongoing expansion of motorways is criticized as an obstacle to the urgently needed reduction in CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
In the context of these numerous challenges and protests, the release of the 16th construction phase of the A100 will be seen as both a step in the right direction for transport infrastructure and a significant cause for increasing resistance to current transport and climate policies.
Anyone interested can find out more about the events and further developments Berlin newspaper, BUND Berlin and Federal Agency for Political Education inform.