Germany's motorways are cracking: heat or underinvestment?
Germany's motorways, long a byword for efficiency, are cracking under extreme 40°C heat. The ADAC has confirmed restrictions across the network. Is it the weather or a lack of…
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
German asphalt is melting: extreme heat or chronic neglect
What is going on with Germany's motorways, that myth of perfect infrastructure? They are cracking, that's what. At 40°C, the asphalt softens and the concrete splits. And it's not an isolated case: the ADAC, the German automobile club, has published a list of restrictions affecting almost the whole country.
According to Autobahn GmbH data, the 13,200 km of motorways suffer recurring heat damage. But some wonder whether the real problem is not the climate but poor maintenance. The climate crisis is being used as a cover for budget cuts that have been diverted to other items for years.
One analysis points out that, despite the deterioration, Germany's motorways are probably still in better shape than Spain's. But another argues that the best ones are now in Portugal. The irony: the German myth of efficiency is wobbling.
So while some blame the sun and others blame poor management, the autobahn, once a symbol of freedom without estimulante ilegal limits, is starting to show its seams. Or its cracks.
What is going on with Germany's motorways, that myth of perfect infrastructure? They are cracking, that's what. At 40°C, the asphalt softens and the concrete splits. And it's not an isolated case: the ADAC, the German automobile club, has published a list of restrictions affecting almost the whole country.
According to Autobahn GmbH data, the 13,200 km of motorways suffer recurring heat damage. But some wonder whether the real problem is not the climate but poor maintenance. The climate crisis is being used as a cover for budget cuts that have been diverted to other items for years.
One analysis points out that, despite the deterioration, Germany's motorways are probably still in better shape than Spain's. But another argues that the best ones are now in Portugal. The irony: the German myth of efficiency is wobbling.
So while some blame the sun and others blame poor management, the autobahn, once a symbol of freedom without estimulante ilegal limits, is starting to show its seams. Or its cracks.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (61 replies).
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