Overview

• Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil sent a formal letter asking Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to report on actual spending of road funds and the status of a law to speed up planning and approvals.
• The Transport Ministry confirms a roughly €15 billion gap for federal highways in 2026–2029 and identifies a €5.5 billion extra need for autobahn new-builds and expansions by 2029.
• A briefing to the Bundestag’s transport committee warns that 74 projects expected to gain final building rights by 2029 cannot be cleared to start without higher future budget allocations.
• States demand immediate clarity and full additionality of special-fund money, warning of delays, closures and detours if approved roadworks and bypasses stall across multiple regions.
• Parliament approved a €500 billion, 12‑year special fund with a maintenance-first focus, yet rail new-builds still lack financing, risking delays on corridors such as Frankfurt–Mannheim and Augsburg–Ulm.