Clara Herrmann: Further construction of the A100 would be “absolutely crazy”

By Isabel Pancake

The district mayor of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Clara Herrmann, has once again spoken out clearly against the further construction of the A100. “The further construction of the Autobahn is absolutely crazy for the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg from several points of view,” said the Greens politician on Wednesday.

It is absurd to cut a highway, a lane through one of the most densely populated regions in Germany and destroy entire neighborhoods. You need the space for the club culture and traders.

Background: The 17th construction phase of the A100 planned by the Federal Ministry of Transport is to run from Treptower Park over the Spree to Friedrichshain and further in the direction of Lichtenberg to Storkower Straße. The costs for this amount to more than 500 million euros.

The techno club “about blank” (Markgrafendamm 24c, Friedrichshain) is also located on part of the site. He currently only has a fixed-term lease because the property is subject to planning. If the highway comes, the club has to give way. Operator Elisabeth Steffen (36): “Then 150 employees will lose their jobs.” Steffen estimates the chances of getting the job as good.

Because: The district wants to take action against the construction with an environmental impact assessment. Herrmann: “As a last resort, we see the lawsuit.”

From a climate policy point of view, the planned construction phase is nonsense in terms of transport policy, she said. “If we want to meet the Paris climate protection goals, the transport sector is a crucial issue in order to save CO2, and motorways are not one of them.”

And further: “We cannot afford to put the money in climate-damaging traffic,” said Herrmann. Instead, the alternatives such as bus, train and cycle paths should be expanded.

Several citizens’ initiatives are opposed to the planned construction. “We as BI A100 are preparing for a long and tough fight,” said Briti Beneke from the A100 initiative.

Proponents of the continued construction argue that the highway is important for the transport connection of eastern parts of the city and at the same time relieves residential areas and other streets from car traffic.