Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – Saxony-Anhalt’s Infrastructure Minister Lydia Hüskens (FDP) has criticized the long duration of planning and approval procedures. As an example, she cited the expansion of Autobahn 14. “I’m always annoyed when I drive a bit down the street that it’s still not finished,” said the FDP politician on Thursday in the state parliament. Construction projects often require “patience and strong nerves”. The aim must be to make much faster progress in the future.
The completion of the A14 northern extension has been repeatedly delayed. Most recently, there was talk of continuous trafficability on the route between Magdeburg and Schwerin in 2027, but the date is unlikely to be met either. The reason for this is, among other things, delays in the public discussion of construction documents. The northern extension covers a total of 155 kilometers and construction started in 2011.
On Thursday, the black-red-yellow coalition in parliament decided that Saxony-Anhalt should work at federal level to speed up approval procedures for infrastructure projects. The planning simplifications envisaged by the federal government would have to be extended beyond the topic of energy supply.
Among other things, the expansion of modern information and communication infrastructure, the renovation and new construction of railway lines, bridges, roads and industrial areas are listed. “Fiber optic expansion, 5G expansion, bridges, roads, railway lines now need a noticeable acceleration in planning and approval.”
MP Detlef Gürth (CDU) said that the streamlining of the procedures was urgently needed in order to maintain economic performance in Germany. The Federal Council must prevent processes from being made more difficult and more expensive by the EU. Too often “unworldly and unrealistic” directives come from Brussels.
