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B168 between Cottbus and Forst: traffic miracle comes earlier!
On August 28, 2025, the new B168 between Cottbus and Forst will be opened in order to relieve through traffic and improve the connection to the A15.
B168 between Cottbus and Forst: traffic miracle comes earlier!
The new B168 connecting road between Cottbus and Forst has been completed and was opened to traffic on August 28, 2025. This release comes six months earlier than originally planned and marks an important step in the project to create the Cottbus bypass. The construction, which took two and a half years, transformed what was previously a country road into a modern federal highway.
With the completion of the B168, which cost a total of around 73 million euros from structural funding, it is expected that the city center of Cottbus will be relieved of through traffic. When implementing the bypass, a new motorway junction and several traffic light-free junctions were also taken into account. The connection to the A15 motorway is an essential part of this project, as it enables a direct connection without bypassing the city.
Traffic calming and future developments
The construction work on the B168 has not yet been completely completed; The connection to Autobahn 15 near Kahren is currently missing. However, this is currently being built and completion is targeted for the end of 2026. The new junction will enable road users to drive directly from the A15 to the northern area of Cottbus, which will further improve the traffic situation in the city.
Some of the construction work was carried out faster than expected, not least because of favorable weather conditions and efficient work processes by the construction companies. However, residents in Kahren were also confronted with an increase in traffic, as many drivers used closed routes to avoid the diversions. In response, the city of Cottbus installed additional speed cameras for traffic monitoring.
Positive contribution to Lusatia
The B168 is not just another transport project, but also a central part of the structural change in Lusatia and is intended to improve the development of Cottbus as the regional center of the region. Work has been underway on the various sections since 2012; the first traffic section was successfully implemented, while the second has been under construction since 2021. The goal is to create an efficient traffic axis with sufficient overtaking opportunities.
The B168 is part of the creation of the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan (BVWP) 2030, under which around 2,000 project proposals for road, rail and waterway projects were examined. Each of these projects was analyzed in detail in terms of cost-benefit aspects as well as environmental and spatial planning criteria. Information on these projects is available in the PRINS project information system, which provides further details and dossiers on the various projects.
Overall, the opening of the new B168 between Cottbus and Forst is a significant step forward for the region's infrastructure, which can now look forward to a transport-optimized future.