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Wolgast in a traffic jam: Peene Bridge is delayed due to financial problems!
The financing of the Peene Bridge to Usedom has been criticized due to increased costs. New developments from Neubrandenburg.
Wolgast in a traffic jam: Peene Bridge is delayed due to financial problems!
The connection to the popular holiday island of Usedom via the Peene Bridge in Wolgast is in jeopardy. The President of the Neubrandenburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Krister Hennige, is sounding the alarm and urgently warning that the Wolgast bypass road construction project and the new construction of the Peene Bridge are in danger. He sees the federal government as having a duty to quickly clarify financial issues in particular. “We cannot afford delays,” said Hennige.
In a dialogue with the SPD-led state government of Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, it became clear that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania urgently needs federal support in order to move forward with planning without further interruptions. The state government is actively communicating with the federal government to create the budgetary conditions. Again Northern Courier reports, the coalition committee has decided that the federal government will provide an additional three billion euros for federal highway construction between 2026 and 2029.
Financing problems of the Peene Bridge
The new construction of the Peene Bridge, a suspension bridge with an impressive 42 meters height, is intended to sustainably improve traffic conditions and would be the largest of its kind in Europe. A section of the bypass has been under construction for almost three years, and traffic is already moving over a section southeast of Wolgast. But the current financing problems are severely affecting the project: the costs have increased from the original 140 million euros to over 500 million euros, which poses considerable challenges for the federal government as a donor. The NDR reports that contractors' bids significantly exceed cost estimates.
Mayor Martin Schröter expresses concern about the numerous delays that affect not only the construction of the bridge, but also the bypass road, which according to previous plans should be completed by the end of 2028. The closure of the Zecheriner Bridge has made the traffic situation even worse and poses major challenges for residents.
Macroeconomic prospects and challenges
A look at the general framework conditions shows that the federal government has a duty: construction prices continue to rise, which is making the financing crisis even worse. Current data shows that the funding requirement for federal highways has increased to 179.7 billion euros according to the latest federal transport infrastructure plan - an increase of around 15.4 billion euros compared to the previous year. The n-tv points out that the federal government has to save and invest at the same time due to the dilapidated infrastructure, which massively endangers the projects.
The concerns of citizens and politicians in the northeast are becoming increasingly louder: a sustainable solution to the financial issues surrounding the Peene Bridge is essential to ensure the urgently needed connection to Usedom. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has made positive comments about new and expansion measures in the road network, but the pressing questions regarding financing still remain unanswered. The pressure on decision-makers is growing so that the plans not only remain on paper, but can also be implemented.