In 2021, Germany got Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes – a unified organization responsible for the approximately 13,000 kilometers of German motorways. Die Autobahn works, like the Road Directorate, to develop and implement innovative and sustainable solutions within traffic and road management. There is therefore great potential for both parties in sharing knowledge and experience from this work. This is written by the Road Directorate in a press release.
Die Autobahn is also an important partner in ensuring that traffic flows easily across the border. Especially for road works or major events, such as when Germany will host the European Football Championship in the summer of 2024.
Agreement signed at the border
In order to strengthen the good cooperation, Vejdirektoratet and Die Autobahn have therefore jointly prepared a so-called document of understanding, which summarizes a number of points on which the parties have agreed to cooperate.
On Friday 2 June 2023, the Road Directorate’s director, Jens Holmboe, and Die Autobahn GmbH Des Bundes’ director, Stephan Krenz, met at the Danish-German border at Padborg and Ellund to sign the memorandum of understanding together.
Great importance for exports and tourism
– Denmark shares our entire land border as well as several ferry crossings and the future Fehmarn connection with Germany. It is therefore of great importance for both tourism and Danish exports that we together ensure good traffic management and traffic management across the two countries. We already have a very good cooperation on this, and I look forward to the practical cooperation on this now being further strengthened, says road director Jens Holmboe from the Road Directorate.
Good experiences in both countries
Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen is also pleased that the Road Directorate and Die Autobahn have now got paper on each other:
– It is a great advantage for road users – and especially those who cross the border – that there is good and constructive cooperation between the road authorities in Denmark and Germany. At the same time, there is a lot of good experience in both countries that it makes good sense to share, so for example ideas to reduce CO2 emissions are shared when roads and bridges need to be maintained, says Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V).
Traffic management and CO2 reduction
The paper cements a mutual intention to prioritize communication and knowledge sharing between the two organisations. The professional themes that are emphasized are, among other things, traffic management in connection with roadworks and special events, as well as the exchange of knowledge about climate and traffic systems.
InfraLCA and C-ITS
Within the climate area, the Road Directorate has, for example, worked with a model for calculating CO2 emissions called InfraLCA. Knowledge is also exchanged about concrete measures for possible reduction of CO2 emissions during the construction and operation of roads and bridges.
In the area of traffic management, there is particular collaboration on C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems). It is a term for systems that support digital communication between traffic systems and vehicles, which are continuously becoming more automated and connected.
The Roads Directorate and Die Autobahn will continue the good cooperation going forward and will meet in their various working groups at least twice a year.
