Skip to main content

Tunnel project for south German town to restart

Construction work is to restart on a new tunnel project in the South German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen following the necessary approvals having been received. The town lies to the south of Munich and is a popular winter ski resort, while in summer it also experiences heavy tourist traffic as it lies on a key route between Germany and Austria, as well as Italy, lying to the south. The busy Autobahn 95 connects Munich’s southern side with Garmisch-Partenkirchen. But this route ends just to the northern si
August 5, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Construction work is to restart on a new tunnel project in the South German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen following the necessary approvals having been received. The town lies to the south of Munich and is a popular winter ski resort, while in summer it also experiences heavy tourist traffic as it lies on a key route between Germany and Austria, as well as Italy, lying to the south. The busy Autobahn 95 connects Munich’s southern side with Garmisch-Partenkirchen. But this route ends just to the northern side of the town, where it joins with the B2. Traffic delays are commonplace during peak periods, particularly during winter and summer holiday times.

To help alleviate the traffic issues, a 3.6km tunnel will be bored through the Kramer mountain, connecting with an additional 2km of link roads. Preparatory work on this bore commenced in 2010 but ground to a halt in 2013 due to unexpectedly high groundwater levels as well as legal challenges over environmental concerns. An Austrian contractor will now start work on the new drive in the second quarter of 2020, with completion planned for 2024 and building costs expected to hit €264 million.

Work on an additional bypass tunnel for the Partenkirchen side of the town (on the eastern side of the Partnach River) is not likely to be ready for traffic until 2030.

Related Content

  • Slovenia tunnel contract reselection
    December 6, 2018
    The contract for the second drive for the Karavanke tunnel connecting Slovenia with Austria is now once more being tendered. The project was awarded earlier this year to the Turkish contractor, Cengiz Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret. However this deal was then annulled and the firm prevented from reapplying. The Turkish company had submitted a bid of €89.3 million for the work. However this had to be rejected as the actual estimate to build the link sets a pricetag of some €121.5 million. The Slovenian road opera
  • Slovakia tunnel sections underway but some delays
    January 23, 2018
    The route for new tunnel links for Slovakia’s D1 highway has been agreed. New tunnels now look set to be built on the 13.5km stretch between Turany and Hubova section of the D1 highway. This plan calls for the construction of the Korbelka and Havran tunnels at an estimated cost of €900 million. Building these two links would bypass the Lower Fatra mountain range, with the Korbelka Tunnel measuring 5.9km and the Havran Tunnel measuring 2.9km long. The Slovak Environment Ministry rejected an appeal against th
  • UK’s Stonehenge Bypass approved by Government
    July 17, 2023
    The UK’s Stonehenge Bypass project has been approved by the Government.
  • Bratislava bypass and Karpaty tunnel completion set for 2030
    June 18, 2018
    Slovakia’s national motorway company NDS expects that the Bratislava bypass on the D4 motorway together with the Karpaty tunnel will be completed around 2030. The D4 motorway is part of the trans-European transport network and will connect with the planned R7 expressway linking western and eastern Slovakia, and the existing D1 and D2 motorways”. Apart from construction works on part of the D4 motorway, another two stretches are planned on this link, including the 3.6km stretch from Devinska Nova Ves t