A100 approval: Transport chaos threatens to the Elsenbrücke

A100 approval: Transport chaos threatens to the Elsenbrücke

The discussion about the opening of the 16th phase of the A100 in Berlin remains tense. Traffic Essator Ute Bonde has captured despite massive criticism of the release of the new motorway section. Critical voices come in particular from the Treptow-Köpenick district and the opposition that warn of an increase in traffic loads. According to a traffic analysis by Autobahn GmbH, the limited performance of the Elsenbrücke does not expect any additional new traffic in adjacent areas, which makes the debate even more complicated. The Greens demand to postpone the opening until the western superstructure of the Elsenbrücke, since it is currently only accessible via a makeshift bridge.

The district council meeting Treptow-Köpenick has already made a corresponding decision. It is feared that the traffic will be redirected by the B96A and other streets to the new route, which could lead to a significant traffic load. While traffic lights at the Treptower Park junction are switched in such a way that the traffic can flow into the city network, there is still a fear of traffic jams on the A100 during the introductory phase.

traffic forecasts and construction costs

The forecasts indicate that the 16th phase of construction could be opened in the last week of September or first. The construction work on this 3.2 kilometer section has already started in 2013 and cost more than 720 million euros, which corresponds to 225,000 euros per meter. The system ends in Treptow, where the Elsenbrücke over the Spree will not be completed in time. Traffic is thus led directly to the construction site, which gives the concerns of the district councilors of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Neukölln before an impending traffic collapse.

Since 2018, there have been massive traffic problems on the Elsenbrücke, which was built in 1968 and has only been used for 2022 by a makeshift bridge with three lanes. Jochen Biedermann and Annika Gerold from the Greens recently expressed concerns about possible massive traffic jams and the additional traffic loads for surrounding districts, which are increasingly dependent on alternative crossings of the Spree.

national traffic planning and challenges

The national traffic planning in Berlin lies with the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment. Transport planning has the task of coordinating interfaces between national traffic planning and local traffic development. The Treptow-Köpenick district plays a key role here because many main network roads lead through its area. This shows how important careful traffic planning is to effectively connect both the city center and the adjacent areas.

Overall, it remains to be seen whether the forecasts submitted will actually occur in terms of relief for residential areas by the new A100. Citizens and political decision -makers must therefore keep an eye on the coming months and the developments around the Elsenbrücke.