Opening of the A49: Views of the controversial section of the motorway!
Opening of the A49: Views of the controversial section of the motorway!
The last section of Autobahn 49 (A49) between Schwalmstadt and the Ohmtal triangle near Homberg/Ohm was ceremoniously opened on the night of March 21, 2025. The opening took place in the town hall of Stadtallendorf, where invited guests came together for a ceremony. This traffic release marks an important milestone for the Hessian long-distance road network, which has been controversial since the 1960s. Recently, the opening was shifted due to buildings, which were only discussed in the event of quality checks, such as hessenschau.de holds.
The newly opened section has a length of 31 kilometers and has a curvy and wavy profile, which is why it is called the "roller coaster among the Hessian motorways". The A49 is intended to improve the prevailing connection between Kassel and Gießen as well as the surrounding roads as well as the A5 and A7 motorways. Drivers can save 13 kilometers compared to the previous route, but the travel time is only slightly shortened, which some critics of transport policy according to is questionable.
controversy and protests
Despite the opening, the A49 is in the focus of vehement controversy. In particular, the forest drafts in the Dannenröder Forst, which led to massive protests in 2020, shed light on the violent clashes between environmentalists and the supporters of the project. Over 85 hectares of forest, including the ecologically valuable Dannenröder Forst, were cleared for the construction, which many consider as ecological crimes. The network "Tatort A49 - Danni lives!" announced a funeral procession on the opening day to protest the environmental losses suffered.
police missions to secure the clearing work that took place in 2020 and 2021 led to a high level of application. This amounts to several million euros and illustrates the tensions between civil society movements and state institutions. During this time, the Dannenröder Forst became a symbol of the protests, whereby many activists continued the occupations to prevent the clearing, a fact that was repeatedly discussed in both media reports and in political debates, such as bpb.de documented.
construction and financing of the new route
The construction work was inhibited by numerous delays, which the majority were due to construction defects. The costs for the construction and operation of the A49 over the next 30 years are 1.45 billion euros. The entire construction process extended over more than four years, with the first section began in 2015 and released part of the route by 2022. The last construction work should originally be completed at the end of 2024, which could not be realized.
The motorway is operated in a public-private partnership (ÖPP), which includes both planning and operation. Critics claim cost efficiency and the protection of ground and drinking water, which leads to controversial discussions in society.
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