Federal government invests 170 million euros in Saxony's highways

The federal government is investing a total of 170 million euros in Saxony's freeways this year. "This is an amount that is not available every year," said Christian Milster, head of the Dresden branch office of Autobahn GmbH des Bundes. Accordingly, the investment volume is increasing significantly. In each of the past two years, around 130 million euros were available.

The reason for this is the need for renewal, as the carriageway is reaching the limits of its service life in many places due to damage or age. The Dresden branch of Autobahn GmbH is responsible for around 1,000 kilometers of carriageway and around 1,000 bridge structures.

"No quiet years" in the next 15 years

According to Milster, the main focus of the 2026 construction measures will be on the A4 in the area of the Chemnitz freeway junction and in eastern Saxony, as well as on the A72 and A38 in the Leipzig area. The aim is to carry out all construction work without disrupting traffic, Milster continued.

The need for investment will remain high in the future, the branch manager predicts. In the next 10 to 15 years, there will be "no quiet years" because many routes will be in need of renovation.

Closing the gap in the A72 by the end of 2027

The head of the department responsible, Annette Möbius, is predicting that the gap in the A72 between Chemnitz and Leipzig, which many commuters are eagerly awaiting, will be closed by the end of 2027. This year, the last section under construction between Rötha and the Leipzig freeway junction will primarily see the completion of the carriageway in the direction of Leipzig. In the final stage, the concrete carriageway used to date will be replaced with so-called porous asphalt - also known colloquially as "whisper asphalt". Work in the opposite direction will begin in October.