Pirna south bypass sees costs soar as construction hurdles mount

The 3.8-kilometre southern bypass encircling Pirna was originally budgeted at a fraction of its current cost, which has risen to almost three times the pre-construction estimate. The route comprises the Kohlbergtunnel and a substantial valley bridge, both technically demanding components that have slowed progress. The tunnel, finished after labor-intensive work due to unstable rock, remains unused, while the bridge’s Y-shaped pillars and fixed superstructure have pushed its price from an initial figure to a much higher amount.

Additional setbacks stem from bat colonies, pandemic-related disruptions, and material shortages. The federal government, via the Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und-bau GmbH, finances most of the overruns, intending to relieve Pirna’s 40,000 residents from heavy traffic and better channel tourists heading toward the Elbsandsteingebirge. The opening, once slated for 2022 and later pushed to the end of 2026, is now uncertain.