Massive Financial Divide: Ministry of Transport Halts Key Infrastructure Developments on Major Highways
In a concerning development, the state of highways and federal roads could deteriorate further by the end of this legislative period, as a funding shortfall threatens numerous infrastructure projects.
The Ministry of Transport's draft for the transport committee reveals that despite a planned special fund of 500 billion euros for infrastructure, traffic carriers such as roads, rail, and waterways remain underfinanced until 2029.
The status of these projects varies, ranging from draft preparation to planning and even planned stages. The Greens party has advocated for a significant increase in the transport budget to address this issue.
The funding crunch also affects rail projects, including the new track between Augsburg and Ulm, the Brenner access in the Inn valley, the Rhine valley track towards Switzerland, and the connection between Frankfurt and Mannheim.
Markus Söder, the CSU leader, has also called for a significant increase in the transport budget. However, the financing for the federal budget of 2026 remains dependent on the parliamentary procedure.
If the current funding situation persists, as presented in the 2026 budget and the financial plan until 2029, none of the already construction-ready or construction-ready projects by 2029 can be started. This includes the A8 highway between Mühlhausen and Hohenstadt (Alb ascent and descent) in the Göppingen district in Baden-Württemberg, among others.
Additionally, many completed planning projects for new construction could not be started due to the lack of funds. The root of the problem is a new financing and implementation plan for 2025-2029 by the federal highway company.
The federal government's budget plans for transportation in Baden-Württemberg face a multi-billion euro shortfall. Nationwide, there is an additional need of 5.5 billion euros for road and rail projects by 2029, according to the Federal Ministry of Transport.
This funding crisis also poses a threat of construction stops for the railway in this legislative period. The Bundestag will discuss the budget of 2026 and the financial plan until 2029 next week. It remains to be seen how this issue will be addressed and whether these critical infrastructure projects can move forward.
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