Tangentiale Verbindung Ost
Encyclopedia
The East Tangential Link - in German Tangentiale Verbindung Ost (TVO) - is a road project connecting the Eastern boroughs of Berlin, Germany. It was fully described in the Transport Master Plan for the GDR Capital ("Generalverkehrsplan der Hauptstadt der DDR") in 1969 but it is unfinished to date. The original six lane expressway design has been cut back over time.
During the 1970s a number of housing estate
s were developed in Marzahn
that called also for high-performance road links. The Landsberger Allee (Landsberg
Avenue) and Frankfurter Allee
(Frankfurt Avenue) were expanded to six lanes (four lanes on the outer sections) working as radial roads connecting to the Berlin city center while the Märkische Allee (Northmarch
Avenue) was newly constructed as the tangential road running north-south along the new boroughs. This part was finished around 1975.
The historic plan showed a link running from the Northern Outer Orbital
along the Märkische Allee crossing the Wuhlheide forrest to Köpenick. From Köpenick the road connects to the Adlergestell (Eagle Swath) thoroughfare which continues to the A117
/A113
motorways in the south. At the motorway junction it does also connect to the Southern tangential link that is now known as the Expressway Potsdam-Schönefeld
. In large parts the road link runs in parallel with the Berlin outer ring rail tracks.
In the 1990s a bypass road for Köpenick
was planned which was picking up the historic planning. From 1999 to 2007 the Southern part of the East Tangential Link was constructed as a four lane expressway along the older Spindlersfelder Straße (Spindlersfeld Street) with a new bridge over the river Spree
. Instead of Spindlersfelder Straße the new road is often called just Tangential-Verbindung-Ost (East-Tangent-Link) on itself.
Since 2010 the extension from the Southern exit is under construction. The two lane Glienicker Weg (Glienicke
Way) is expanded to four lanes thereby hoping to remove a major source of congestions - its reconstruction started in 2010 and it will finish in 2013.
The East Tangential Link is missing a part of 6 km length in the middle from the Northern exit of Spindlersfeld Street to the Southern exit of the Northmarch Avenue. The Senate of Berlin
postponed its construction to 2030 which was felt as close to never by many. In 2007 action groups formed that campaign for an earlier completion thereby removing the traffic that currently runs along the two lane main streets of Biesdorf
, Kaulsdorf
, Mahlsdorf
(-dorf means "village") which are otherwise quiet residential settlements. While the Senate plans a two lane bypass road the campaign proponents ask for a four lane road and they are supported by the conservatives parties CDU and FDP as well as the Verband Deutscher Grundstücksnutzer (Association of Land Users). However a subsequent pilot study did show an increase of the construction costs from 46.2 million Euro (two-lane design as of 2009) to 79.6 million Euro (four-lane design requiring more overpasses).
The 2011 party program of SPD and Linke in Marzahn has now included the extension of the East Tangential Link however they restrict this position to the missing part between B1/B5 and the Berlin Wuhlheide station to be constructed in its cheapeset variant. The IHK Berlin (Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Berlin) does also support a connection from Marzahn to the BBI Airport even though the Senate expects that the additional traffic on the existing roads will be below 10% when the new airport will open in 2012. The argument goes along the same line as the convervatives party has expressed in that the mere existence of a direct connection is a fundament of economic growth of Marzahn-Hellersdorf
. There is already a road from the rail junction from the Wuhlheide rail junction to Spindlersfeld but it has a number of grade crossings and it runs somewhat more east - an overpass at the rail junction is the problematic part so far and it is expected that its construction would be easier if the rail hub itself would be rebuilt. This has been on map for quite a time already but no definite plan has been devised.
During the 1970s a number of housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
s were developed in Marzahn
Marzahn
Marzahn is a locality within the borough of Marzahn-Hellersdorf in Berlin. Berlin's 2001 administrative reform led to the former boroughs of Marzahn and Hellersdorf fusing into a single new borough...
that called also for high-performance road links. The Landsberger Allee (Landsberg
Altlandsberg
Altlandsberg is a historic town in the district of Märkisch-Oderland, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated about east of Berlin.-History:Altlandsberg was first mentioned in a 1230 deed, it was located at the site of a former Slavic settlement...
Avenue) and Frankfurter Allee
Frankfurter Allee
The Frankfurter Allee is one of the oldest roads of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It extends the Karl-Marx-Allee from Frankfurter Tor in the direction of the city of Frankfurt . It is part of Bundesstraße 1 and has a length of ....
(Frankfurt Avenue) were expanded to six lanes (four lanes on the outer sections) working as radial roads connecting to the Berlin city center while the Märkische Allee (Northmarch
Northern March
The Northern March or North March was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965. It initially comprised the northern third of the Marca and was part of the territorial organisation of areas conquered from the Wends...
Avenue) was newly constructed as the tangential road running north-south along the new boroughs. This part was finished around 1975.
The historic plan showed a link running from the Northern Outer Orbital
Bundesautobahn 10
runs in Brandenburg and is an orbital motorway around Berlin and is therefore called the Berliner Ring. It should not be confused with the Berliner Stadtring ....
along the Märkische Allee crossing the Wuhlheide forrest to Köpenick. From Köpenick the road connects to the Adlergestell (Eagle Swath) thoroughfare which continues to the A117
Bundesautobahn 117
is an autobahn in Germany.The road that would become the A 117 was built in the 1960s as the A 113, intended as a connection from the A 10-A 13 junction in Schönefeld to the Berlin neighborhood of Adlershof...
/A113
Bundesautobahn 113
is a motorway in Germany. The motorway connects Neukölln to Schönefeld . Its latest part was released on 23 May 2008....
motorways in the south. At the motorway junction it does also connect to the Southern tangential link that is now known as the Expressway Potsdam-Schönefeld
Expressway Potsdam-Schönefeld
The Expressway Potsdam-Schönefeld is the overarching term for a number of transport projects to create a single four-lane mostly grade-separated highway from Potsdam to Schönefeld south of Berlin ....
. In large parts the road link runs in parallel with the Berlin outer ring rail tracks.
In the 1990s a bypass road for Köpenick
Köpenick
Köpenick is a historic town and locality that is situated at the confluence of the rivers Dahme and Spree in the south-east of the German capital city of Berlin. It was formerly known as Copanic and then Cöpenick, only officially adopting the current spelling in 1931...
was planned which was picking up the historic planning. From 1999 to 2007 the Southern part of the East Tangential Link was constructed as a four lane expressway along the older Spindlersfelder Straße (Spindlersfeld Street) with a new bridge over the river Spree
Spree
The Spree is a river that flows through the Saxony, Brandenburg and Berlin states of Germany, and in the Ústí nad Labem region of the Czech Republic...
. Instead of Spindlersfelder Straße the new road is often called just Tangential-Verbindung-Ost (East-Tangent-Link) on itself.
Since 2010 the extension from the Southern exit is under construction. The two lane Glienicker Weg (Glienicke
Altglienicke
Altglienicke is a locality of Berlin in the district of Treptow-Köpenick. Until 2001 it was par of the former borough of Treptow.-History:The village of Glinik was first mentioned in 1375...
Way) is expanded to four lanes thereby hoping to remove a major source of congestions - its reconstruction started in 2010 and it will finish in 2013.
The East Tangential Link is missing a part of 6 km length in the middle from the Northern exit of Spindlersfeld Street to the Southern exit of the Northmarch Avenue. The Senate of Berlin
Senate of Berlin
The Senate of Berlin is the executive body governing the city of Berlin, which at the same time is a state of Germany. According to the Constitution of Berlin the Senate consists of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and up to eight Senators appointed by the Governing Mayor, two of whom are appointed ...
postponed its construction to 2030 which was felt as close to never by many. In 2007 action groups formed that campaign for an earlier completion thereby removing the traffic that currently runs along the two lane main streets of Biesdorf
Biesdorf
Biesdorf is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
, Kaulsdorf
Kaulsdorf
The following places in Germany are called Kaulsdorf:* Kaulsdorf , a quarter in the borough Marzahn-Hellersdorf of Berlin* Kaulsdorf , a municipality in the district Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, in Thuringia...
, Mahlsdorf
Mahlsdorf
Mahlsdorf is a locality within the Berlin borough of Marzahn-Hellersdorf. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Hellersdorf.-History:...
(-dorf means "village") which are otherwise quiet residential settlements. While the Senate plans a two lane bypass road the campaign proponents ask for a four lane road and they are supported by the conservatives parties CDU and FDP as well as the Verband Deutscher Grundstücksnutzer (Association of Land Users). However a subsequent pilot study did show an increase of the construction costs from 46.2 million Euro (two-lane design as of 2009) to 79.6 million Euro (four-lane design requiring more overpasses).
The 2011 party program of SPD and Linke in Marzahn has now included the extension of the East Tangential Link however they restrict this position to the missing part between B1/B5 and the Berlin Wuhlheide station to be constructed in its cheapeset variant. The IHK Berlin (Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Berlin) does also support a connection from Marzahn to the BBI Airport even though the Senate expects that the additional traffic on the existing roads will be below 10% when the new airport will open in 2012. The argument goes along the same line as the convervatives party has expressed in that the mere existence of a direct connection is a fundament of economic growth of Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Marzahn-Hellersdorf is the tenth borough of Berlin, formed in 2001 by merging the former boroughs of Marzahn and Hellersdorf.-Geography:It is situated in the northeast of Berlin...
. There is already a road from the rail junction from the Wuhlheide rail junction to Spindlersfeld but it has a number of grade crossings and it runs somewhat more east - an overpass at the rail junction is the problematic part so far and it is expected that its construction would be easier if the rail hub itself would be rebuilt. This has been on map for quite a time already but no definite plan has been devised.
External links
- East-Tangent-Link construction description from the Urban Development department of Berlin
- East Tangential Link description from the action groups.