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New A100 opening: 12 years of construction, protests and costs worth millions!
Opening of the 16th construction phase of the A100 in Berlin on August 27th, 2025, accompanied by protests and controversial debates about the environment and costs.
New A100 opening: 12 years of construction, protests and costs worth millions!
From August 27, 2025, the 16th construction phase of the A100 between Neukölln and Treptow will be opened to traffic. This opening follows a construction period of twelve years and marks a further step in Berlin's controversial transport planning. Large-scale protests have been announced to mark this event, which could cause a stir on the city's political agenda. The official celebration will take place at the Hotel Estrel, where Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder and Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner will honor the new section of the route, which critics will find inadequate symbolism since the ceremony does not take place directly on the route ( rbb24 reports ).
The new motorway section is 3.2 kilometers long and runs from the Neukölln triangle to the Treptower Park junction. With a total cost of 721 million euros, this project is considered the most expensive section of motorway in Germany in terms of costs per kilometer. The aim of this extension is to improve the connection of the east of Berlin to the motorway network. A large part of the route runs in a trough up to seven meters deep. Critics, including the Left, the Greens and the AfD, express wishes for an immediate halt to further motorway construction, while BUND Berlin notes that further construction of the A100 would be harmful to the climate and the environment ( BUND reports ).
Protests and demands
Against the ongoing construction, the A100 wegbassen alliance is organizing a rally on August 27th at 1 p.m. The alliance's demands include an immediate stop to further motorway construction as well as a social and ecological mobility transition. The symbolism of the protest is underlined by huge red letters that represent the END of the highway.
Various activists raise their voices at the rally: Gabi Jung from BUND describes the further construction as harmful to the climate, while Briti Beneke from the BI A100 denounces the motorway as expensive and negative for the quality of life. Emiko Gejic from the Berlin Club Commission also warned that the expansion of the motorway would endanger clubs and cultural sites. Jonas Baliani from the Interventionist Left calls for resistance to the project, while Adelheid Rehmann from the KungerKiez Initiative notes that the opening will lead to more noise and poor air quality ( BUND added ).
Criticism and controversy
The construction of the A100 is seen nationwide as a symbol of failed transport policy. Loud CONVENTION The cost framework for the 16th construction phase could even increase to up to 700 million euros. For example, the money invested could be used to finance 35,000 kilometers of pop-up cycle paths or 350 new subway cars. In addition, allotment colonies were cleared for construction, trees were felled and two residential buildings were demolished, which could only be saved through a lawsuit by the BUND.
After completion, daily traffic of around 80,000 vehicles in each direction is expected. Adjacent streets, such as Köpenicker Landstrasse and Schlesische Strasse, will be converted into motorway feeder roads, which will lead to further infrastructural burdens for residents. The planned expansion of the street Am Treptower Park by five lanes could affect the footpaths in front of the cinema and increase the already high noise pollution.
The situation surrounding the construction and opening of the 16th construction phase not only reflects the conflicts within Berlin, but also the difficulties in German transport policy as a whole.