Blosenberg Road Construction Expected to Finish by 2032

The city is moving forward with plans to construct a new municipal connecting road (GV) Blosenberg, though the project faces a lengthy timeline and opposition from local political groups, schwaebische.de reported. The construction committee voted by a majority to approve the administration’s proposed next steps and the assignment of legal procedural support, while the Greens and the SPD cast opposing votes.

Civil Engineering Office Head Peter Münsch informed the committee that the road’s completion is expected around the end of 2032, with construction unlikely to start before 2030. The municipal council initially approved the preliminary design planning phase at the end of 2024, which triggered ongoing preparatory work, expert opinions, and discussions with authorities.

Environmental Assessments and Preliminary Studies Through 2027

The city anticipates needing an environmental impact assessment because the project involves evaluating the planned B-30 ascent route. Administrative talks are currently underway with the Tübingen regional council, and officials are preparing documents for a scoping procedure to determine the environmental review’s scope. Wildlife data gathered in 2021 is being updated and expanded starting from April, with investigations scheduled to run until March 2027. A corresponding expert report is expected by the middle of 2027, followed by the balancing of environmental impacts and the establishment of compensation measures in the second half of that year.

Additional foundational studies are feeding into the planning process in parallel. These include an updated traffic forecast from the district of Biberach compiled in 2023, heavy rain risk management studies, and a river basin investigation of the Mettenberger Bach. The city also plans an EU-wide tender in the first quarter of 2027 for specialized planners covering noise and emission control, flood protection, and the renaturation of the Mettenberger Bach.

City Hires Law Firm to Avoid Procedural Errors

To protect the extensive procedure against legal challenges, the city has retained a specialized law firm. The construction committee agreed to allocate up to 50,000 euros annually for legal process support, which includes preparing for the plan approval procedure and handling legal inquiries regarding environmental information.

We want to avoid procedural errors, said Construction Mayor Simon Menth, as schwaebische.de reported.

The public will be involved once the primary documents are ready, which Münsch estimates will happen in the second quarter of 2027 through two informational events for residents and affected property owners.

City Projects Construction Bidding for Late 2029

The administration projects that all documents for the plan approval procedure will be fully compiled by the end of 2027 at the earliest. The formal plan approval procedure could begin in 2028, which would allow the city to apply for government funding by September 2028. A funding approval notice is not expected before April 2029, and construction bidding could take place in the final quarter of 2029 based on updated cost calculations.

Local politicians voiced distinct concerns regarding the process during committee discussions. Flavia Gutermann of the Free Voters remarked on the heavy administrative burden, while Christoph Kapfer of the Greens argued that the plans lack sufficient reliability due to unresolved questions regarding total costs.

Hellseher sind wir nicht.

Peter Münsch, Civil Engineering Office Head