One of the most important motorway connections to the upcoming Fehmarn tunnel has once again run into problems. The federal government in Berlin has allocated billions to repair existing roads and bridges, but there is a lack of money for new construction. Therefore, the extension of motorway A20 from Bad Segeberg westwards has now been put on hold, writes Lübecker Nachrichten.
The announcement has sparked strong reactions in northern Germany. Business networks, mayors, and the Chamber of Commerce in Lübeck warn that the region risks being left behind.
The long road of A20
Motorway A20, often called the Baltic Sea motorway, was planned in the 1990s as an east-west corridor along the Baltic Sea coast. Today, it stretches from the Polish border to Bad Segeberg outside Hamburg, but here it stops abruptly. The planned extension westwards is intended to connect the motorway to the A28 at Oldenburg, thereby providing Scandinavia with a direct link to the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. However, the project has for years been plagued by complaints, environmental requirements, and financing problems.
Anger in Lübeck and surroundings
According to Lübecker Nachrichten, the business network Hansebelt calls the decision a catastrophe and demands that Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) immediately visit the region. Lübeck's mayor Jan Lindenau (SPD) also emphasises that the completion of A20 is crucial for the city's connection to the outside world.
Companies in the region and the local chambers of commerce remind us that the motorway currently ends at Bad Segeberg, where traffic comes to a halt daily. Julius Krüger from IHK in Lübeck says it will be difficult to explain if there is no money to solve the problem.
Disappointment in the transport sector
There is also frustration in the transport sector. Here, they warn of longer routes, higher prices, and greater environmental impact. At the same time, the transport industry already pays almost 15 billion euros annually in road tolls to the state.
Schleswig-Holstein's Minister President Daniel Günther (CDU) calls the situation a mistake that must be corrected. He points out that the A20 is not just a traffic artery but also a militarily strategic important project.
For Danish companies, which see the Femern tunnel as a shortcut to Central Europe, the prospect of new delays in Germany is bad news. Without the A20, traffic from Lolland-Falster and South Zealand may encounter bottlenecks shortly after cars roll out of the tunnel on the German side.
