15 municipalities demand preservation of the B 51 connection to Tawern/Siedlung
The mayors of 15 municipalities along the B 51 are protesting together against the planned dismantling of the B 51/L 136 interchange near Tawern. In an open letter to Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder and Rhineland-Palatinate Transport Minister Daniela Schmitt, they warn of "serious and disproportionate consequences" for the population, road safety, and municipal infrastructure.
According to plans by the LBM Trier (State Road Construction Authority), the interchange is to be removed to create a "road profile compliant with regulations." The local municipalities argue that this would result in approximately 10,000 vehicles being routed through the village of Tawern daily via the K 112 – with significant consequences for commuters, residents, and emergency services. They maintain that traffic congestion is already high in the area and that new bottlenecks and hazardous areas would be created.
The signatories cite a number of critical consequences: massive increased burden on the town's main roads, additional traffic jams for cross-border commuters to Luxembourg, doubling of the traffic volume on the route towards Mannebach, deterioration of public transport, longer rescue and fire brigade access times, higher noise and pollutant levels, and considerable additional financial costs for the municipality due to the downgrading of the L 136.
The municipalities are therefore demanding the legally binding preservation of the Tawern/Siedlung interchange. They argue that the planned measure is neither proportionate nor in the interest of the population and contradicts the requirements of a safe and functioning regional transport infrastructure.
Eleven serious consequences for the population and infrastructure
The open letter details the consequences that the municipalities consider "unacceptable":
- Massive increase in traffic on the main road through Tawern (K 112)
– Forecast: approximately 9,900 vehicles per day until 2035.
– Historically: The B 51-OU Könen was built when 10,000 vehicles had reached the load limit there.
2. Detours and traffic jams for thousands of commuters heading towards Luxembourg
– Bottleneck in the Trierer Straße area, a heavily frequented school route.
3. Unacceptable burden on the K 112 towards Mannebach
– Forecast: +1,100 vehicles per day (doubling).
– Narrow, winding road without markings; frequent wildlife crossings.
4. Increased traffic on other local roads (Onsdorf, Nittel) and B 419 (Wasserliesch/Oberbillig)
– State roads unsuitable for heavy traffic.
5. Difficult operating conditions for the Tawern fire brigade
– Several minutes longer travel times.
– High follow-up costs for necessary structural reinforcement.
6. Increased risk to schoolchildren
Crossing Trierer Straße is already problematic today; there are no guides.
7. Longer emergency medical service response times
– Response time of 15 minutes is foreseeably at risk.
8. Health and property damage
– Significantly higher noise and exhaust pollution for residents.
9. Restriction of municipal planning authority
– Shifts in environmental loads complicate urban planning and commercial development.
10. Additional financial burden due to the downgrading of the L 136 to a municipal road
– High maintenance and renovation costs for the local community.
11. Necessary adjustments to public transport
– Relocation of bus routes, stops and turning points.
– Risk of supply gaps in residential areas.
Signatories of the open letter:
• Ursula Clemens, Mayor of the municipality of Tawern
• Guido Wacht, Mayor of the Verbandsgemeinde Konz and the town of Konz
• Jürgen Dixius, Mayor of the municipality of Saarburg-Kell
• Andreas Reymann, Mayor of the City of Saarburg
• Thomas Lellig, Mayor of the municipality of Mannebach
• Hubert Schartz, Mayor of the municipality of Onsdorf
• Nina Haag, Mayor of the municipality of Wawern
• Katharina Frey-Tresler, Mayor of the municipality of Kanzem
• Kornelia Hilsamer, Mayor of the municipality of Ayl
• Reinhard Orth, Mayor of the municipality of Wiltingen
• Thomas Michael Thelen, Mayor of the municipality of Wasserliesch
• Andreas Beiling, Mayor of the municipality of Oberbillig
• Doris Opitz-Köbernik, Mayor of the municipality of Temmels
• Peter Leo Hein, Mayor of the municipality of Nittel
• Lotta Oittinen, local mayor of Köllig (a district of the municipality of Nittel)