- Eco-activists initiate fresh legal action against A39 infrastructure project.
Eco group BUND Lower Saxony is trying to stop the construction of the A39 highway between Lüneburg and Wolfsburg through legal routes. They've submitted an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court against the revised construction approval for the 7th section of the A39, as per their statement.
Back in 2019, the top court in Leipzig put a halt to the construction plans for this section. The planned route goes along the southern border of the Lüneburg Heath, connecting Wolfsburg with Ehra-Lessien in the Gifhorn district.
As per environmental activists, the new approval decision overlooks several aspects, including the environmental impact of the new construction in relation to global climate change. There's also concern that the quality of adjacent water bodies might deteriorate due to the highway construction.
Lower Saxony's transport minister is pushing for a quick start. Yesterday, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Transport revealed plans to fund the construction of the Ehra bypass in the Gifhorn district. Construction is set to commence in spring 2025. "We're making every effort to expedite this crucial infrastructure project as part of the A39 gap closure," said Lower Saxony's Transport Minister Olaf Lies (SPD).
Germany's Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) recently commented that the new A39 section would offer an optimal link between the Lüneburg and Wolfsburg regions, enhancing the hinterland connection to North German ports. The Autobahn GmbH has the authority to design and execute the approximately 106-kilometer new construction.
Estimated costs for this project stand at around 1.69 billion euros (as of 2023). The northern portion of the A39 stretches from Hamburg to Lüneburg, while the southern part goes from Wolfsburg via Brunswick to Salzgitter.
In contrast to the efforts of Eco group BUND Lower Saxony to halt the construction of the A39 highway due to environmental concerns and its potential impact on global climate change and water bodies, Germany's Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) views the new section as an optimal link between the Lüneburg and Wolfsburg regions, improving hinterland connection to North German ports. Regarding transport and telecommunications infrastructure, Lower Saxony's Transport Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) is pushing for a rapid start, planning to fund the Ehra bypass and commencing construction in spring 2025, as part of the A39 gap closure.
