Unfunded expansion: motorways in North Rhine-Westphalia remain unbuilt
The federal government's recent infrastructure initiative, which includes 166 billion euros in special funds for the next four years, has hit a roadblock in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). A financing gap has led to the temporary halt of 29 highway projects in the region, including the planned new construction of the A445 from Werl to Hamm and the gap closure of the A1 in the Eifel.
The funding shortfall is mainly due to significantly rising construction costs and delays in the budgetary process, creating a gap especially affecting projects from 2026 to 2029. The Federal Ministry of Transport allocated 15 billion euros for the expansion and new construction of highways and federal roads in Germany, with financing linked to the federal budget and special funds.
Oliver Krischer, NRW transport minister and a member of the Greens, has expressed his concerns about the situation. He considers the current suspension of highway projects a "setback" from Berlin. Krischer has "no understanding" for the construction stops, and the affected projects include the expansion of the A1 at Hamm, the expansion of the Ruhr region's A40, and the six-lane expansion of the A45 in the Sauerland, which was planned.
The A3 in Oberhausen, the A57 in Krefeld, the A59 in Duisburg and Cologne are also affected by the funding gap. In a positive note, none of the ten planned construction projects on partly smaller bridges in NRW are on the cancellation list.
Construction prices have risen sharply, resulting in "significant additional investments". The German Press Agency, Communication NRW Ministry of Transport, and Autobahn GmbH are sources for this article. The focus of the special funds announced by the federal government is on the maintenance of traffic infrastructure rather than new construction.
The new highway was supposed to connect two other highways, but its construction has been put on hold. The halt in these projects has raised concerns about the timely completion of infrastructure news in NRW, a crucial aspect for the region's economic growth and mobility. This article was first reported on our website at 12:00 on 18.09.2025.
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