Coastal Vacationistas on Rügen's Baltic Coast Require Exceptional Nerve Resilience, Pre- and Post-Trip
Gridlock Progression: The Looming Traffic Nightmare on Germany's Vacation Haven
Brace yourselves, travelers! Germany's largest coastal getaway, the enchanting Rügen Island, is prepping for a congested carnival in the upcoming weeks. Road warriors must steel themselves for detours, roadblocks, and potential gridlock on and leading to Rügen. The problem? Not only will the Rügen Bridge be out of commission, but a section of the B96 within Rügen itself will be under construction, simultaneously. This double whammy promises a bumpy ride for motorists.
Cry of consternation resounds as the announcement of construction on the Rügen Bridge for weeks followed by closure takes hold. Contempt and criticism swiftly surface in its wake. In March, the city council of Stralsund unanimously charged Mayor Alexander Badrow (CDU) with requesting a postponement of the construction on the Rügen Bridge to a time outside the tourist season and public holidays.
As for the simultaneous construction on the B96 on Rügen, our editorial team sought answers, and the State Office for Road Construction and Traffic MV (LS MV) sighed a revelation.
Why the parallel construction? The LS MV explains that due to various factors, "only certain construction time windows are feasible." In the case of the Rügen Bridge, restrictions persist until 25 June, including a complete bridge shutdown from 7 May to 5 June and from 11 June to 18 June. On the B96, construction will occur from 5 May to 28 May between Kubbelkow and Bergen-Mitte.
The Rügen Bridge's construction necessities stem primarily from its tourist significance. Construction activities during peak seasons like Easter, Pentecost, summer holidays, and the autumn holidays could exacerbate existing traffic congestion throughout the network, LS MV elaborates.
Moreover, "consistently stable weather conditions" are required for the tasks at hand: minimal rainfall and at least six degrees Celsius for achieving optimal road quality. Additionally, asphalt mixing plants "usually close during the winter months of January and February." Furthermore, construction companies and specialists need time to complete projects within the limited construction periods, and in some cases, it is necessary for them to work during holidays to accommodate school and commuter traffic.
The LS MV reports that there are around 200 construction sites of various project sponsors on the island each year. By no means is the ongoing construction on the Rügen Bridge and B96 the last construction sites to come. In the next three years, further measures are planned, though the specifics of their implementation and timing remain undetermined. This includes "constructive additions for better maintenance of the new display boards" on the Rügen Bridge, as well as the renewal of the deck on the L301 and in Sassnitz town center. "Unexpected repairs," after all, can't be ruled out.
To prepare for each construction project, LS MV convenes a meeting with bearers of public interests. These meetings serve to present the construction project and to address possible objections. These objections might concern topics such as elderly homes, ongoing broadband installation, and so forth. After these inputs, the construction measures are adjusted accordingly.
A delay in the project would likely lead to higher costs, the LS MV maintains. Construction companies and experts have a full schedule, which grants them only a limited degree of scheduling adaptability. The specialists for the Rügen Bridge's electronics are active beyond state borders and also busy during this period, with stable weather conditions being required for their work.
Another construction site on the B96 has recently been announced for the coming weeks. From 5 May to 16 May, construction will occur on the B96 between Miltzow (Sundhagen) and the A20 connection. The Road Construction Office Stralsund found defects following last year's deck renewal, which are now being rectified.
A thoughtful glance at the construction sites and a well-prepared itinerary for trips to and from Rügen during the coming weeks could undoubtedly help ease the perceived pains.
Travelers beware, the simultaneous construction on the Rügen Bridge and a section of the B96 within Rügen promises challenging journeys to the picturesque island. The city council of Stralsund has charged Mayor Alexander Badrow to postpone the construction on the Rügen Bridge to avoid overlapping with the tourist season and public holidays to alleviate the lifestyle disruptions for motorists.
