Germany’s Autobahn GmbH rejects six lane A8 expansion

Germany’s Autobahn GmbH has said it will not expand the A8 motorway between the Chiemsee and Salzburg to six lanes, triggering a dispute with politicians, ORF reported. The route will retain its existing four lanes, with an additional hard shoulder planned instead.

The six lane expansion of the Munich to Salzburg motorway as far as Walserberg is included in Germany’s Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030. The project is officially classified as a top priority at least as far as Traunstein.

Autobahn GmbH, a company operating at arm’s length from the government but theoretically subordinate to Germany’s Transport Ministry, has nevertheless announced different plans in German media reports.

The company said the six lane project would unnecessarily complicate the construction of new bridges. The section between the Chiemsee and Salzburg currently has no hard shoulders.

Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter has rejected the change and called for the plans in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan to be implemented, saying the plan has the force of law.

Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger, who belongs to the same Union political bloc as Bernreiter, said the federal government also remained committed to the six lane expansion. It remains unclear whether the political authorities or Autobahn GmbH will prevail.