traffic - Demo against extension of Südschnellweg in Hannover
Accompanied by demonstrations from climate activists, the outdated South Quickway in Hannover is further modernized. Environmental activists cycled in a morning protest action on the quickway. They were part of a over 400 kilometers long tour from Magdeburg to Kassel, which draws attention to various topics in traffic, energy and peace politics on 15 stages. In Hannover, cyclists supported the demands of the action alliances, which protest against the expansion of the quickways in the state capital.
The works on the South Quickway, which has been built since 1954, are expected to last until 2031. Dilapidated bridges need to be torn down. The expansion is considered one of the largest traffic projects in Lower Saxony, for which numerous trees in the adjacent floodplain of the Leine have already been felled.
"We believe that the transport turnaround only works if we invest more in cycling, public transport and not further in quickways and highways", said a spokeswoman for the "Tour de Nature" protest.
Million-project lasts for years
Currently under construction is the approximately 3.8 kilometer long section of the B3 between the Landwehr circle and the railway bridges before Seelhorst Cross. The costs, according to the statements of the Road and Transport Authority, amount to around 579 million Euro.
Included in this are the new bridge construction, tunnel construction and the section. Currently, a replacement bridge is to be completed by autumn, as a spokesman for the authority said, because the highway in the Döhren district at the city border is nearing the end of its service life. The tunnel construction is expected to begin next year and last approximately five years.
The protest against the quickway expansion in Hannover is part of a larger tour, spanning over 400 kilometers from Magdeburg to Kassel. The outdated South Quickway in Hannover, a significant traffic project in Lower Saxony, has been under construction since 1954 and is expected to continue until 2031. The demonstrators argue that the transport turnaround should focus on investing in cycling and public transport, rather than constructing more quickways and highways.
