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- Title
„Keinen Meter mehr!" Leverkusen kämpft gegen die Stelzenautobahn: Verkehrspolitik und Lebensqualität.
- Authors
Budrich, Edmund
- Abstract
The city of Leverkusen is fighting against the planned expansion of the highway, which would mean widening the elevated highway through the city. Instead, the city and its citizens advocate for the construction of a tunnel, even though this would be more expensive and time-consuming. However, the Federal Highway Company plans to expand the highway by widening the elevated structure. The planned widening would result in building demolitions, road closures, and increased noise pollution. The city of Leverkusen and its citizens are resisting this plan and demanding participation in the planning process. The city of Leverkusen has commissioned a feasibility study, which shows that the transportation of hazardous materials is possible through a tunnel. The report proves that with adapted construction methods and enhanced safety measures, the transportation of explosive, toxic, and highly flammable goods can be facilitated. The city prefers a tunnel instead of an elevated highway, as a twelve-lane expansion of the A3 through the city is considered unacceptable. Straßen NRW has taken note of the city's counter-report and will examine it with its own experts. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia supports the city of Leverkusen in its efforts for a tunnel solution. However, the Federal Ministry of Transport insists on the elevated highway and emphasizes the benefits for Leverkusen. The city of Leverkusen is fighting against the planned expansion of the A1 and A3 highways, which propose a bridge instead of a tunnel. The decision of the Federal Ministry of Transport has been criticized, as the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had clearly expressed its preference for a tunnel. A study shows that a long Rhine tunnel would be the best solution for Leverkusen and transit traffic. A new initiative, consisting of various initiatives and institutions, has formed to develop joint strategies against the highway expansion. There is political dispute between the federal government and the state over the cost sharing for the tunnel. The North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Transport, Oliver Krischer (Green Party), rejects the proposal of Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing (FDP), to discuss a tunnel option for the expansion of the A1 in Leverkusen. Krischer finds it unacceptable that the state and the city should bear the additional costs. The Federal Highway Company estimates the additional costs for the tunnel solution to be up to two billion euros. Despite ongoing criticism, North Rhine-Westphalia has agreed to the accelerated expansion of certain highway projects. The initiative "Keinen Meter mehr!" has launched a petition to stop the above-ground expansion of the highway in Leverkusen. The approval process is still pending, where there is a small chance to reject the elevated structure.
- Subjects
LEVERKUSEN (Germany); NORTH Rhine-Westphalia (Germany); WIDENING of roads; BUILDING demolition; ROAD closures; NOISE pollution; HIGHWAY planning
- Publication
GWP: Gesellschaft Wirtschaft Politik, 2023, Vol 72, Issue 3, p351
- ISSN
1619-6910
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3224/gwp.v72i3.10