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Lawsuit against A1 gap closure: Is the conversion in the Eifel at risk?
Discuss the controversial closure of the A1 gap in the Eifel: BUND lawsuit, court hearing in Leipzig, decision on November 18th.
Lawsuit against A1 gap closure: Is the conversion in the Eifel at risk?
Things are boiling in the Eifel: On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, a decisive hearing on the controversial closure of the gap in the A1 motorway will take place in the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig. From 9 a.m. judges want to decide on the lawsuit brought by the Rhineland-Palatinate regional association of the Federal Environment and Nature Conservation in Germany (BUND). This spoke out against the planning approval decision of the State Mobility Office (LBM), which was issued in 2023. The affected section lies between the Kelberg and Adenau junctions, i.e. the southernmost of three planned sections of the A1 that connect northern Germany with Saarland.
The BUND has made serious accusations against the project. According to environmentalists, the plans violate species protection, the drainage plans are incorrect and climate protection is not sufficiently taken into account. A decision from the court is expected to be announced on November 18th. As Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) emphasized, the timing of the gap closure depends on many variables, which means that future developments remain uncertain. In Rhineland-Palatinate there are increasing warnings about the risks that the project could entail.
Environmental protection versus infrastructure projects
BUND's lawsuit, which was filed with the court on November 16th, could, if successful, mean the end of the planned motorway project. The lawsuit is supported not only by the BUND, but also by other associations such as the Nature Conservation Association (Nabu) and by concerned private individuals. These groups argue that the construction law should be prevented from closing the gap, which is considered illegal. BUND state chairwoman Sabine Jacoub described the planned motorway as outdated in view of the current climate and biodiversity crisis.
The A1 motorway, which runs from the Baltic Sea coast in Schleswig-Holstein to Saarbrücken, currently has an interruption: in the north it ends near Blankenheim (NRW) and in the south near Kelberg. Closing the approximately 25 kilometer long gap has been a hotly debated topic for many years. The planning approval decision for the section between Adenau and Kelberg was seen in the summer as an important milestone for the project, while State Transport Minister Daniela Schmitt (FDP) was optimistic about the future.
Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030: A framework for infrastructure
However, closing the A1 gap cannot be viewed in isolation. It is part of the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan (BVWP) 2030, which acts as a central instrument for federal transport infrastructure planning. This plan, which runs for ten to fifteen years, includes both expansion and new construction projects as well as existing networks and has a total volume of around 269.6 billion euros. Around 141.6 billion euros are earmarked for maintaining the existing networks, while around 98.3 billion euros are planned for new projects. The projects also include measures that have been divided into urgency categories to eliminate bottlenecks in important transport hubs.
The BVWP 2030 aims to reduce congestion on federal highways and improve capacity in passenger and freight transport. The development of infrastructure is necessary to meet the constantly changing transport requirements. It remains to be seen whether the A1 can now be completed soon or whether the project will fail due to resistance from environmental associations. The upcoming decision of the Federal Administrative Court is therefore eagerly awaited.