Andreas Knie, a transportation researcher at the Berlin Science Center, stated that consideration should be given to closing the newly completed 16th construction phase until the full reopening of the Elsenbrücke bridge – currently undergoing renovation near the Treptow junction “Ignoring this will not help the situation” Knie emphasized
Knie predicts the already tense traffic situation on the new section will deteriorate significantly after the summer holidays end, leading to substantial traffic jams and potential further closures He described the opening of the 16th section “before” the Elsenbrücke’s rehabilitation is complete as “a transportation policy scandal” arguing it artificially exacerbates a previously manageable situation, effectively “attracting” traffic and creating a new problem
Antje Kapek, transport policy spokesperson for the Green Party and a long-time critic of the 16th construction phase, supports Knie’s call for a potential closure She stated that she and others had warned for months that opening the section before the Elsenbrücke was operational would cause traffic chaos Kapek added that a request for a performance analysis leading to a revised traffic plan had been rejected The fact that the section had to be closed just two days after opening due to congestion, she argues, emphatically demonstrates that further motorway expansion within modern urban environments is ineffective, citing examples of motorway demolitions or restructuring in other international cities
On Friday, the 720 million euro section experienced a temporary closure due to a several-kilometer-long traffic jam forming within the tunnel between the Sonnenallee and Grenzallee junctions The traffic information center stated that a complete standstill within the tunnel must be avoided Police reported the congestion was caused by heavy traffic volume and a vehicle breakdown in the emergency lane The buildup was further complicated by a traffic light system at the Treptower Park exit, designed to prevent excessive vehicle influx into the Alt-Treptow district
Traffic also backed up on the new A100 section on Saturday Sources within the transport sector fear a significant worsening of the situation following the conclusion of the summer holidays
The federal Autobahn GmbH, responsible for the construction and operation of the section, has so far not responded to inquiries from the newspaper The company has not addressed whether it is considering the requested closure, nor outlined any short-term measures to improve the current situation, according to reports
