Expanded Motorway A99 in Munich: Here Are the Aftermaths and Impact on Six Thoroughfares
In the bustling city of Munich, a contentious issue has arisen regarding the expansion of the A99 motorway in the west. The expansion, led by the Autobahn GmbH, is set to add an additional lane on each side by 2028. However, the project has sparked concerns from Christian Hierneis, head of the Munich Nature Conservation Association, who opposes the expansion due to fears about air pollution.
By 2035, an estimated 120,000 vehicles will be travelling on this stretch of the A99 motorway on weekdays. This increase in traffic could lead to a rise in exhaust fumes, a concern voiced by the Nature Conservation Association. They argue that the new landscape park along the motorway, intended for recreation and health, may not meet these new limits.
The city, in collaboration with the Government of Upper Bavaria and the Free State, is currently clarifying what the stricter emissions limits, set to come into effect in 2030, mean for long-term construction projects. New limits, decided by the EU, will see the air pollution limit halved from 40 μg/m³, effective from 2030.
Hierneis suggests that people are tired of being exposed to health risks from too many air pollutants and predicts complaints. He questions whether a speed limit of 30 km/h on the motorway could be a possibility in the future, a measure that could help reduce emissions.
However, it is important to note that the city cannot enforce a speed limit on the motorway, as it would be up to the Autobahn GmbH as the traffic authority.
Potential measures to reduce air pollution on a motorway like the A99 with predicted increases in traffic and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) include implementing stricter vehicle emission standards, promoting the use of public transport and carpooling, installing noise and pollution barriers or vegetation, optimizing traffic flow through smart traffic management systems, encouraging speed limits that reduce emissions, introducing low-emission zones or toll systems, and regular monitoring of air quality and adjusting measures accordingly.
The Nature Conservation Association also predicts that nitrogen dioxide levels could reach up to 27.1 μg/m³ at buildings in the Freiham new development area after the motorway expansion. Engineering measures such as using porous asphalt can help reduce pollution levels.
For measures specific to the A99 motorway expansion in Munich, one would typically expect local authorities and environmental agencies to conduct detailed impact assessments and implement a combination of the above strategies tailored to the local context.
The Freiham new development area, located in Munich, is one such area that could be significantly affected by the motorway expansion and the resulting air pollution. The future of this project remains uncertain, with the city, the Nature Conservation Association, and the Autobahn GmbH engaged in ongoing discussions about potential solutions.
- The expansion of the A99 motorway, led by the Autobahn GmbH, has sparked concerns from Christian Hierneis, the head of the Munich Nature Conservation Association, due to fears about increased air pollution in environmental science.
- By 2035, an estimated 120,000 vehicles will travel on the A99 motorway, and the rise in exhaust fumes is a concern vocally expressed by the Nature Conservation Association, especially as the new landscape park may not meet the stricter emissions limits coming in 2030.
- Hierneis questions whether a speed limit of 30 km/h on the motorway could be a possibility in the future, as a measure that could help reduce emissions and air pollution in the automotive industry and finance.
- To tackle air pollution on the A99 motorway, potential strategies include implementing stricter vehicle emission standards, promoting public transport and carpooling, installing noise and pollution barriers or vegetation, optimizing traffic flow, encouraging speed limits that reduce emissions, introducing low-emission zones or toll systems, and regular monitoring of air quality in science and environmental-science.
