Germany falling behind on plan to modernise motorway bridges

New analysis published this week by Germany’s Federal Audit Office showed that of 280 bridge modernisation projects planned by Autobahn, the federal infrastructure company in charge of the construction of Germany’s highways and trunk roads, only 69 were implemented by 2024.

Bauindustrie, the body representing 2,000 of the country’s medium- and large-sized contractors called the news “disappointing”.

Its managing director Tim-Oliver Müller said, “The Federal Ministry of Transport’s bridge modernisation programme was intended to provide an answer, but so far, it has been disappointing.

“The long-heralded ramp-up of tenders and the consolidation of contracts have failed to materialise. What’s more, together with Autobahn, we are petitioning politicians almost monthly for new investment funds so that our companies can even achieve adequate capacity utilisation and the Autobahn can achieve the goals set by politicians. Politicians should have a vested interest in this. Instead, the politically formulated goals have been missed.”

Felix Pakleppa, managing director of Das Deutsche Baugewerbe, which represents thousands of smaller construction companies in Germany, said, “Not only is the bridge modernization program far behind schedule, the gap between demand and implementation has apparently been growing ever wider. This is admission of failure. Further restrictions and closures will follow, with consequences for businesses.”

He called for more substantial human and financial resources for Autobahn and suggested that funds from a planned €500 billion infrastructure fund that Germany’s new government has signalled it intends to create could be used for that purpose.