Finished last part of project B178 - Final segment before B 178's conclusion was finalized.
Article:
A six-kilometer stretch of federal highway B 178, connecting Zittau and Mittelherwigsdorf in Upper Lusatia, is now open to traffic. This long-awaited project, inaugurated with a citizen's festival, is expected to reduce travel times and enhance regional cooperation among Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
Originally a central artery of Upper Lusatia, the completion of this section will alleviate community congestion from through-traffic, improve the quality of life for local residents, and bolster economic development. The project, funded from the Structural Change Fund, cost approximately 57.4 million euros.
Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) hailed this development as a "crucial investment for efficient, safe road connections" that will foster long-term cross-border cooperation. However, the project's protracted construction history raises questions about the need for faster planning and approval procedures in Germany.
Zittau's mayor, Thomas Zenker (independent), remarked that the federal highway, once derided as a "century-long construction site," had finally been completed. Christian Hirte, parliamentary state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport, highlighted the new federal government's focus on maintaining and upgrading existing roads and expanding critical axes like B 178.
Since construction began in 1999, around 242 million euros have been invested in the new eastern German federal highway. Although the latest section is now open, one final segment is still pending for the route to be fully passable, with an estimated cost of around 120 million euros for the 5.8-kilometer stretch with a connection to the A4.
[1] For instance, the ongoing renewal of Prager Straße in Leipzig encompasses improvements to roads and bike paths, signaling ongoing efforts to enhance traffic efficiency and infrastructure in eastern Germany.
The completion of this section of federal highway B 178 is expected to establish more efficient and safer road connections, especially in the industry, finance, transportation, and automotive sectors, beneficial for the region's economy and cooperation among Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The project, funded through the Structural Change Fund, also aims to improve community policy, employment policy, as it will alleviate congestion and bolster economic development in Upper Lusatia.
