A39 expansion in danger: Laue criticizes government shutdown!

A39 expansion in danger: Laue criticizes government shutdown!

Criticism of the A39: The expansion is not getting off the ground

The discussion about the imminent construction of Autobahn 39 between Lüneburg and Wolfsburg is gaining momentum, but for a different reason than hoped. The CDU state parliament member Lena-Sophie Laue accuses the state government of being passive. “The progress in expansion is far too slow,” she criticizes, pointing out that there is still no start to construction in sight in the Gifhorn district, especially between Wittingen, Ehra and Wolfsburg. The planning approval process is still ongoing and has dragged on for years, which is rightly angering citizens.

According to Laue, the expansion of the A39 is urgently needed for commuters, businesses and the economic future of the region. Although there is a planning approval decision for the first construction phase near Lüneburg, the validity of which has been complained about but not repealed, construction work has not yet taken place. “The state government must act much faster and maintain clearer communication with residents,” Laue urgently demands. In her opinion, the country should consistently use the available scope to push ahead with expansion instead of hiding behind delays.

The details of the A39

The A39 is planned as a four-lane motorway with two lanes plus a hard shoulder in each direction and stretches over an impressive length of 105 kilometers. The expected total cost of this project is around 1.3 billion euros, underlining the importance of rapid implementation. Given the poor transport connections in northeast Germany, for example as part of a cross-state transport concept with Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt, the A39 is particularly important. The basic concept for the construction of new motorways in the region was agreed on July 8, 2002, and since January 1, 2021, all tasks for the motorways in Lower Saxony have been with the federal Autobahn GmbH.

The plans that started on January 22, 2009 for the A39 and were legitimized by the Federal Ministry of Transport's formal route determination are still waiting to be implemented. Despite the critical situation, Laue advocated the creation of immediate enforcement procedures, which was already successfully implemented in 2019 on the Celle bypass (B3). “We can no longer allow ourselves such standstill situations,” says Laue emphatically and makes it clear that quick and effective measures are now necessary.

Future-oriented measures required

The situation also has political dimensions: Laue and her colleagues from the CDU are lobbying the state parliament for a rapid expansion of the A39. Many citizens in the constituencies are annoyed by the current waiting times and are pushing for quick solutions. Laue appeals to the state government that the federal government must be made more responsible. “We must stop jeopardizing trust in political commitments,” she warns and calls for clear priorities in action.

The population's frustration with the standstill should not be underestimated, and those responsible are called upon to do so. The expansion of the A39 could significantly alleviate the traffic chaos in northeast Germany and at the same time promote jobs and economic development.

What happened next with the project? The authorities must now take responsibility so that the dream of a timely motorway connection does not remain a pipe dream.

For further information about the route of Autobahn 39, those interested can take a look at the website of Niedersächsische Straßenbau or the current plans autobahn.de read.