Expensive renovation of the Fehmarnsund Bridge: 91 million euros for the future

Expensive renovation of the Fehmarnsund Bridge: 91 million euros for the future

With the aim of further improving the transport connection in the area of the Fehmarnbelt crossing, the SPD member of the Bundestag Bettina Hagedorn announced that the construction is intended for several sections between Lübeck and Grossenbrode for 2026. These measures are part of the extensive project to create a two -track connection to the fixed Fehmarnbelt crossing, which is connected to a building ride through Ostholstein. This development represents a significant investment in the transport infrastructure, which is of great interest both economically and logistically.

The planned construction for the different sections, including Grossenbrode, Oldenburg, Schashagen/Damlos, Sierksdorf/Altenkrempe and Lübeck, is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026. In the second quarter, further construction work in Ratekau/Scharbeutz, Heringsdorf/Neukirchen and on the Fehmarnsund tunnel are planned. The last section in Bad Schwartau is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. This information comes from a current communication by the Federal Ministry of Transport to the auditing committee of the German Bundestag.

costs and challenges of the Fehmarnsundbrücke

There is currently a further focus on the basic repair of the Fehmarnsund Bridge, which has had to master numerous structural challenges since its opening in 1963. The repair was originally calculated with costs of 30 million euros, later this estimate rose to 49 million euros. Now, however, Deutsche Bahn gives a total amount of 91 million euros. In this context, Hagedorn criticizes Deutsche Bahn for its “punitive neglect” of the maintenance obligations. These repair work is of great scope because they are intended to ensure the safety of the bridge that is statically not designed for freight trains.

The planned investments in electrification and connection are not insignificant. The Ministry of Transport puts the costs for temporary electrification with 61.6 million euros, of which a significant part is eliminated on the mainland connection. Hagedorn sees this an unjustified measure, since this temporary solution is not in the sense of sustainable transport connections. The auditing committee therefore calls for discussions with Denmark to initiate possible transition solutions in order to clarify the concerns of the transport connection.

The persistent cost increases and the maintenance issues raise the question of how the ambitious construction goals can be achieved until the planned completion date at the end of 2029. The SPD MP Hagedorn therefore expresses concerns about the feasibility of the plans and calls for immediately clarifying the advantages and risks of these measures for the future of the traffic infrastructure in the region.

A deeper look at the entire traffic situation shows that the quick and safe transport of goods via the Fehmarnsund Bridge is of crucial importance, especially with regard to the connection to Scandinavia. However, this topic must be tackled taking into account the challenges already outlined and the associated costs.

The discussion about the maintenance of the bridge and the upcoming start of construction for the new connections will certainly be the focus at the upcoming meeting of the budget committee on October 16, in which Transport Minister Volker Wissing will be present. Bettina Hagedorn will again submit the application for a new report by the progress of the measures. The complexity of these challenges illustrates the importance of clear and effective communication between the responsible ministries and the public.

For further information on these developments, The article at www.kreiszeitung.de A comprehensive overview of the situation and the associated discussions with the parties involved. This information is of interest to all road users because they shed light on the upcoming changes and their effects on travel and transport modalities.