Political earthquake: District council approves controversial traffic proposal!

Political earthquake: District council approves controversial traffic proposal!

A political earthquake has occurred in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district council. For the first time, the AfD parliamentary group won the majority in a vote, not least thanks to the support of the CDU parliamentary group. In a crucial meeting, a motion from the AfD was accepted, which calls on the district administrator to work for the rapid further construction of the Wolgast bypass and the associated bridge connection. That's what she reports Baltic Sea newspaper.

The background to this political change is complex. Financing for the bridge structure over the Peenestrom, which is supposed to connect the island of Usedom with the mainland, is currently stalled. The construction offers significantly exceed the original cost estimates and now amount to over half a billion euros. AfD politician Stephan Reuken warned at the meeting of an impending “traffic gridlock” and emphasized the urgency of a clear political signal to the federal and state governments.

Growing traffic problems

The CDU parliamentary group leader Jeanette von Busse also criticized the slow implementation of the project and suggested inviting the transport minister to the plenary session in order to provide clarity about the schedule and construction progress. This measure was passed with a majority. While the AfD celebrated the success of its initiative, other political groups, such as the Greens and the SPD, expressed concerns about the populist tone of the motion. Alexander Krüger from the Greens called the motion fear-mongering, while Falko Beitz from the SPD expressed doubts about the honesty of the motion and said it raised false expectations.

Meanwhile, the new Wolgast bypass, which is intended to help improve the quality of life by reducing through traffic and the flow of holidaymakers to the island of Usedom, continues to take shape. The construction work is running at full speed. The construction includes bridge building and extensive earthworks, during which up to nine meters of earth must be removed. Loud NDR, around 250,000 tons of sand and earth have already been moved to make room for the almost seven kilometer long bypass road. Part of the project is almost complete and asphalt paving has already begun.

The challenges of infrastructure

The construction of a new bridge that will connect the mainland with Usedom is essential. The award process is currently underway, with construction possibly starting in the fall. Experts estimate the bridge's construction time to be around three years. However, depending on delays and price increases, it could take until the end of 2028 for the bypass to be completed as planned. The total cost of the road and bridge is 287 million euros.

In a broader context, these challenges are related to the ongoing underfunding of public infrastructure in Germany. Loud PwC Inefficient planning processes and a lack of transparency are common reasons for cost overruns and delays. The pressure to transform towards a climate-neutral economy and the security policy challenges require massive investments in the coming years. To address these challenges, the proposal for a central organizational unit at the federal level is being discussed to ensure improved implementation of public infrastructure projects.