20 years of A20: How the lifeline changed the north!

20 years of A20: How the lifeline changed the north!

On December 7, 2025, it will be 20 years since the A20 Baltic Sea motorway was officially opened. This date is associated not only with the inauguration ceremonies under the aegis of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who cut the ribbon, but also with the decades of history and planning that preceded this important traffic route. wismar.fm reports that the A20 is one of the most important east-west connections in the north and connects the region from Lübeck to Stettin over a distance of more than 340 kilometers.

The highway's construction took around 11 years, with total costs in the billions. The construction was seen as an important signal for the development of the new federal states in order to connect them more closely with the West. Since then, the coastal towns of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have been accessible more quickly, which has not only made travel easier, but has also strengthened freight traffic. The ports in Rostock, Wismar and Lübeck benefited significantly from the improved connections, explained the Transport Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

A historical overview

But how did this actually come about? The journey to today's A20 began much earlier. The first documented mention of a connection between Hamburg and Stettin took place in 1216. According to [ndr.de]. However, the Second World War interrupted these ambitious plans.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, it was finally decided to continue building the A20. DEGES was founded in 1991 and took care of the planning and construction, with the A20 classified as a priority project. The first section between Schönberg and Rostock was completed in 2000, followed by further sections in the following years. By 2009, the A20 had been almost completely expanded to Bad Segeberg.

Current developments and challenges

However, there was and still is a long way to go for this infrastructure project. In recent years there have been numerous discussions about renovations and closing gaps, but the construction work is often under pressure from environmental associations. They have sued the plans in the past, which led to legal disputes. It was not until November 2025 that an agreement was reached between Schleswig-Holstein and the BUND, which paved the way for further construction while at the same time demanding environmental protection measures.

In December 2025, the Federal Minister of Transport finally released the funding for the construction of the next section of the A20. The expansion of the motorway to the North Sea, including a crossing of the Elbe west of Hamburg, continues to be viewed as a forward-looking project. The local economy continues to demand support for the expansion in order to further improve the connections between the regions and provide economic stimulus.

Conclusion: The A20 is not only a lifeline for the northern region, but also a symbol of the tireless expansion of transport connections in Germany. The last 20 years have highlighted how important this road is to everyday life and the region's economy, while the road to full realization of the project is not yet over.