Featured image: Jörg Steinbach

A meeting was held today in Grünheide, Brandenburg, Germany, to discuss how to integrate Tesla's new factory into the existing transportation network.

"The operation of the plant includes the commuting of workers, trucks and trains. Provided the final extension becomes a reality this will mean up to 40,000 workers in 3 shifts, coming and going by car, by train and by bike, 23 trains/day and 1600 trucks/day. This requires adequate infrastructure," said Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor and Energy Jörg Steinbach to Tesmanian.

Tesla's factory needs to be environmentally and efficiently integrated into the existing infrastructure around Grünheide. Therefore, the main focus was on the necessary changes in the old plan for the development of the Tesla site.

Experts and members of the public presented the interim status of their analyses. The Brandenburg State Development Corporation was tasked with coordinating the change process. This group assesses how useful it is to build a new building at the intersection of the federal highway A10 or, for example, to relocate a regional station, rbb24 reports.

Source: Jörg Steinbach

The factory will become particularly attractive to Berliners thanks to the regular RE1 connection. However, public transport connections from other parts of Brandenburg and Poland are insufficient.

Train connections to Giga Berlin are due to begin in the summer of 2021. New rail systems are slated to appear at the site to increase capacity. But these will be private systems that Tesla will create itself. Regardless of Tesla's plans, the RE1 frequency will be increased in line with the VBB 2030 public transport concept.

Beginning in summer 2021, Giga Berlin will produce 100,000 vehicles a year, which will require thousands of new jobs. In the future, the company intends to produce 500,000 vehicles per year. Therefore, it is planned to expand the L38 road in the south. The road should become in many places four-lane instead of two-lane, as before. It is also planned to build a new interchange in the north of the development area.

The new state road is to connect to an intersection that will open up an industrial zone from the north and continue east. From the Autobahn junction, the road runs east on the existing L23. Then L23 will also be widened and will cross the railway in the north.

These changes were recommended by the State Development Company, which were based on their own analysis and considered the objections and ideas of citizens after the first interpretation of the application for the amended development plan. The State Development Company believes that  plans to expand the L23 and L38 roads—and a new interchange in the north— are necessary.

The decision whether to move forward with the development plan now falls on the municipality—and only after considering that the development plan will be legally binding. Consideration should take place at a meeting of the public council at the end of November.

© 2020, Eva Fox. All rights reserved.

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