75 Million Euros Per Kilometer: The Absurd Reality of Germany's Costliest Bypass

Few things illustrate the state of public infrastructure planning quite like a short stretch of road in Saxony. In Pirna, a town of roughly 40,000 residents, a 3.8-kilometer bypass known as the B172n has managed to rack up a total bill of 288.4 million euros. That works out to roughly 75.9 million euros per single kilometer. For that price, one might expect a marvel of modern engineering, yet the route remains completely closed to traffic.

The financial trajectory of the project resembles a masterclass in modern budget inflation. When the idea of connecting the A17 highway toward the Elbe Sandstone Mountains to relieve local transit traffic was first floated in 1999, planners estimated the cost at a manageable 36 million euros. By 2008, that figure had doubled to 70.9 million euros. When construction finally started in 2017, the budget stood at nearly 100 million euros. Since the first spade hit the dirt, the price tag has nearly tripled again, leaving federal taxpayers to pick up the vast majority of the tab through the state-owned planning company DEGES.

Attempts at fiscal discipline along the way carry their own brand of tragicomedy. Early on, authorities in Saxony sought to demonstrate frugality to federal officials in Berlin by replacing a planned grade-separated bridge junction with a basic set of traffic lights, saving a modest 3.1 million euros. Set against a final price tag pushing 288 million euros, that early gesture of restraint looks less like prudence and more like a symbolic gesture.

The staggering expenses stem largely from two complex components: the Kohlbergtunnel and a massive valley bridge. The tunnel project hit immediate friction due to soft rock formations that prevented the use of heavy tunnel boring machinery. Workers were forced to rely on excavators, shotcrete, and manual chiseling. Factor in delays caused by protected bat populations, pandemic-related staff absences, and material scarcities, and the timeline quickly collapsed.

Although the tunnel itself is finally finished, driver access remains blocked by the adjacent bridge. Costs for the bridge structure alone surged from an initial 72 million to 180 million euros. Featuring Y-shaped pier heads and a monolithic connection without traditional bearings, the design proved so complicated that contractors had to build and test physical models before proceeding.

Completion deadlines have routinely dissolved. Originally scheduled for release in 2022, the opening was pushed back to late 2026, a deadline that has now also fallen by the wayside. No new date has been set, though DEGES maintains that all parties are working to complete the bypass as quickly as possible.

Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com