Hamburg’s A26 East motorway secures key approvals despite rising costs

A €83 million planning effort pays off—but will the A26 East motorway’s economic promise outweigh its climate toll? Legal battles and cost overruns still loom.

, and Administrator

2025 November 23 . 9:16 AM

1 min read

This image is clicked on the roads. There are many vehicles in this image. On the left, we can see... — This image is clicked on the roads. There are many vehicles in this image. On the left, we can see a building and a stall. On the right, there is a building along with the trees. At the top, there is a sky. At the bottom, there is a road.

Planning of A26-Ost has already cost 83 million euros - Hamburg’s A26 East motorway secures key approvals despite rising costs

Hamburg’s A26 East motorway project has taken another step forward with planning approval granted for its second and third sections. The scheme, designed to ease traffic in the Harburg district and boost the port economy, has already seen €83 million spent on planning alone. Yet legal and financial hurdles remain as costs climb and climate concerns persist.

The A26 East motorway aims to extend the existing A26 West, linking the A7 near Hamburg-Moorburg with the A1 at Stillhorn. Its planned route is split into three segments, though only the first had received approval until now. On 22 March 2023, the green light was given for the remaining two sections after a six-to-eight-week review by environmental authorities. This assessment weighed multiple route options against climate protection and other criteria.

With planning approval now secured for all three sections, the A26 East motorway moves closer to reality. Hamburg and the federal government will continue sharing the financial burden as construction plans advance. The road’s completion is set to impact both local traffic flows and the wider port infrastructure.