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The Federal Ministry of Transport still sees the A7 connection Döllbach/Gersfeld as a priority. The preliminary draft is expected to be completed by 2027.
Gersfeld/Eichenzell – “This is really good news to relieve local residents and take advantage of opportunities for economic development in the region”: This is how local Bundestag member Michael Brand (CDU) assesses the new federal government’s response, according to a statement to the planned Döllbach/Gersfeld motorway junction. According to Brand, he has held direct discussions with the top management of the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) and Autobahn GmbH.
In a written response from the Ministry of Transport on March 11th, the “high priority” of the junction is not only underlined, but also reported that “important progress” could be achieved at the end of February 2026: “There is now an overall economic assessment that was prepared in accordance with the specifications of the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030. With a determined benefit-cost ratio (NKV) of 1.69, the benefits significantly exceed the costs. The project is therefore proven to be economical and is clearly assessed positively from an overall economic perspective,” says the letter to Michael Brand.
Federal government confirms: A7 connection Döllbach/Gersfeld remains priority
Recently, at the request of the SPD Gersfeld, the Federal Ministry of Transport stated that the project is still in the draft planning stage. The next step would be to prepare the planning approval documents. However, the application for planning approval has been postponed by the federal Autobahn GmbH and “cannot currently be scheduled”. This statement gave little hope that the measure would be implemented soon.
The disc to Brand now states: “The new construction of this junction continues to be a high priority for both the Federal Ministry of Transport and the responsible Autobahn GmbH. We are aware of the considerable traffic significance for the Fulda district and the entire East Hesse region and are vigorously continuing the planning of the previous contract administration.”
The project is actually “in the active design planning phase”. The provisional budget management for 2025 caused by the break in the traffic light coalition as well as the considerable planning capacities and investments also in East Hesse in urgently needed bridge modernizations and the expansion of truck parking spaces on the A7, are of course reducing planning capacities, said Brand in his statement, “the news from Berlin is all the more pleasing that the project is being pushed forward with high priority”.
In the letter to Brand, the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) gives an outlook on further developments: “The current phase is now being used intensively to complete the draft planning in such a technically sound manner that the subsequent approval process is on a legally secure basis.”
The BMV describes the next steps specifically: “Autobahn GmbH is bringing the environmental investigations up to date because the documents handed over do not meet the applicable quality standards with regard to approvability. The cost calculation must also be updated. The aim is to complete the preliminary draft in the second half of 2027 and then initiate the plan approval process as quickly as possible. Our common goal remains to successfully implement the project through this careful preparation.” (ths)
