“Hamburg has been a logistics city for centuries and relies on its transport routes like no other city,” said Ploß, who is also the Union’s chairman in the Bundestag’s transport committee. “But the Hamburg Senate and the traffic light government in Berlin are neglecting the necessary infrastructure.” He called for “a real acceleration in planning and construction as well as consistent implementation of the important infrastructure projects.”
Norder- and Süderelbbrücken must be replaced by new buildings
The North Elbe Bridge was built in the 1960s, the South Elbe Bridge consists of two substructures from 1938 and 1965. Both bridge structures are dilapidated and have reached the end of their service life. They are to be replaced as part of the eight-lane expansion of the A1 between the Hamburg-Southeast triangle and the Harburg junction.
Just a few days ago, Autobahn GmbH carried out a major inspection of the Norderelbbrücke. According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, the results – and information on any necessary repair work – should be available in October at the earliest.
Ploß: Traffic congestion threatens in Hamburg’s east
Ploß warns of cuts in the federal budget at the expense of infrastructure. “If there are delays here, there is a risk of disruptions on the A1 and thus a traffic jam in the east of Hamburg,” warned the politician. “The traffic light coalition in Berlin and the red-green Senate must finally put pressure on the construction of the new Norderelb Bridge.”
At the same time, he warned against cuts in the federal budget at the expense of infrastructure. “The more tax money is distributed like a watering can, such as in the case of citizens’ allowances, the less remains for infrastructure,” said the CDU politician. “But anyone who cuts costs on infrastructure is laying the axe to the foundations of our country.”
In its response, the Ministry of Transport did not comment specifically on the financing of the planned construction measures: “Only after the building permit has been submitted can statements be made on the financing of the measure in question, depending on the budget funds then available, the financial requirements of the projects under construction and in competition with other measures ready for construction,” it simply said.
Lawsuits can delay bridge construction
In order to be able to plan and build more quickly in Germany in the future, the European collective action law must be urgently reformed, demanded Ploß. The federal government also apparently assumes that the construction of the new Norderelb Bridge could be delayed by lawsuits. “The start of construction will now depend on the progress of the independent planning approval procedure and, if necessary, on lawsuits against the intended planning approval decision,” says the Berlin Ministry of Transport. And further: “Concrete options for accelerating construction will be examined once the final building law is in place.”
According to the information, the planning approval decision by the city of Hamburg is expected in mid-2026. However, according to the original plans of the project company Deges, construction work should start as early as 2025 if possible.
“As mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher cannot simply accept years of delays due to lengthy planning procedures and ever new lawsuits, but must finally pull out all the stops to ensure that the project is not completed until the end of this decade,” said Ploß.
