Germany’s major infrastructure projects, like the BER airport and Stuttgart 21, have faced significant delays and cost overruns. These issues highlight a broader challenge in completing large-scale initiatives efficiently in the country.
Twenty years since the BER approval
August 13, 2004, marked a significant milestone for Berlin and Germany when the Brandenburg State Ministry for Infrastructure and Spatial Planning approved the expansion of Schönefeld Airport, paving the way for the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The airport’s construction began two years later, with an initial opening date set for November 2011. However, due to various setbacks, including issues with the fire protection system, the opening was delayed multiple times, leading to a financial and political disaster. The airport finally opened on October 31, 2020, nine years behind schedule and at a cost of over seven billion euros.
Stuttgart 21 and other delayed projects
Stuttgart 21, another major infrastructure project, also faced significant delays. The new underground railway station in Stuttgart, initially set to open by 2013, was delayed, with construction only beginning in 2014. The project’s costs have ballooned from four to eleven billion euros, with an expected completion date now pushed to the end of 2026.
Similarly, Frankfurt’s new opera house, discussed and planned since 2017, is expected to be completed by 2037. Cologne’s theater renovations, which began in 2015, have also faced delays, with the latest opening date again postponed.
Environmental and bureaucratic challenges
The delays in these projects are attributed to various factors, including environmental regulations and bureaucratic hurdles. For instance, Stuttgart 21 was delayed by the need to relocate protected species, such as lizards and beetles, from the construction site. Similarly, wind farms face delays due to the protection of species like bats and beetles. Citizens also play a role, with many pushing for greater involvement in the planning process, which often leads to further delays.
The German government, recognizing these issues, has made efforts to streamline procedures for priority infrastructure projects, particularly those related to renewable energy and LNG terminals. However, for most other projects, the lengthy approval process remains unchanged.
The slow pace of change
The slow pace of infrastructure development in Germany is exemplified by the ongoing search for a nuclear waste disposal site, which is now expected to take until 2074, far beyond the originally planned date of 2031. The process of finding a suitable location and constructing the facility will take decades, raising concerns about the safety of the interim storage sites currently in use.
Germany’s challenges in completing large-scale infrastructure projects efficiently have become a topic of international discussion, with observers from other countries often surprised by the delays. While the German government continues to seek ways to expedite these processes, the complexities of environmental protection, citizen involvement, and bureaucratic regulations pose ongoing challenges.
