Stuttgart 21: Workers were suddenly not allowed to drive trucks after 10 p.m.
Originally, the controversial construction project Stuttgart 21 was supposed to be completed next year. Now it will take at least another year, and the costs have more than quadrupled. What is the problem?
Interview with Christian Böttger, a Professor of Business Engineering at the Berlin University of Technology and Economics, sheds some light on the delays. The German railway company is facing resource issues, especially with the shortage of industry resources and personnel. The bottleneck seems to be with the capacity of the industry and the inspectors, not the construction workers.
The new railway junction is now expected to launch in December 2026, but the realistic timeline is uncertain. The additional costs for the project must now be borne by the railway company itself, as ruled by a court in May. This poses financial challenges, especially with the need for additional billions for the planned track renovation. The future funding of the project is also uncertain, which raises concerns about the overall financing.
Originally planned for completion in 2019 with a budget of around 2.5 billion euros, the costs have now escalated to over eleven billion euros. The project was politically driven, with pressure from the CDU-led government in Stuttgart to keep costs low. This led to underestimation of the project’s scope, resulting in necessary expansions and increased costs.
The rising construction costs can be attributed to various factors, including personnel shortages, increased regulations, and the need for constant adjustments to comply with new rules. For example, stricter noise regulations led to restrictions on truck movements after 10 p.m., causing delays and additional expenses.
It is likely that more costs will accumulate before the project’s completion, as delays often result in increased expenses. The overall situation with Stuttgart 21 remains uncertain, with challenges at every turn. The future of the project and its impact on Germany’s transportation system are still up in the air.