Riederwald Tunnel in Frankfurt: Construction starts in autumn with challenges!

Riederwald Tunnel in Frankfurt: Construction starts in autumn with challenges!

Construction of the Riederwald Tunnel in Frankfurt is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025. This was reported by Autobahn GmbH. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schneider (CDU) emphasizes the need for modern transport infrastructure to eliminate bottlenecks in the federal highway network and improve mobility in heavily polluted metropolitan areas. The project is an important gap between the A66 and A661 motorways, which has been planned for decades and has experienced several delays, including most recently due to the emergence of protected beetle species.

The Riederwald Tunnel will be around 2.2 kilometers long, half of which runs in the tunnel. The maximum permitted speed is 80 km/h. The construction was originally expected to cost 175 million euros, but the estimated expenditure is now around 1.5 billion euros. The construction work has already been awarded and the total duration of the construction project is expected to be eight years, starting with the western tunnel section and the trough to the Erlenbruch motorway triangle, which was completed between 2014 and 2019.

Ecological challenges

In the eastern section of the construction area, protected beetle species, including the heldhorn beetle and the critically endangered stag beetle, were discovered. This discovery resulted in the construction of the tunnel being delayed. To take this into account, Autobahn GmbH is planning to create a new shelter in the Fechenheim Forest.

Information for residents

An information event will be held for residents in the fall to provide information about the progress and next steps of the project. Critics such as Rainer Frey from the Riederwald citizens' initiative are calling for more transparency and consideration of the project's climate impact. Residents are expressing concerns about a possible increase in traffic in the city center, while Autobahn GmbH points to a reduction in traffic in the Riederwald district.

Alternative transport solutions

Willi Loose, active in the “Stop A5 Expansion” alliance, suggests alternative traffic solutions. These include the expansion of the North Main S-Bahn and the electrification of railway lines in order to make mobility in the region more environmentally friendly. The discussion about the Riederwald Tunnel remains exciting and is being viewed critically from various sides.

For more information on this topic, we refer to the articles by hessenschau.de and fr.de.