S 7 Expressway with three Tunnels to be completed in 2022

The Austrian Ministry of Transport announced in mid-March 2016 that the green light had been given for constructing the east section of the S 7 Fürstenfelder Expressway following the issue of a positive Environmental Compatibility Test certificate. The S 7 east section runs from Dobersdorf for almost 14 km up to the Hungarian border. Both parts of the S 7, the west section from Riegersdorf to Dobersdorf (work started in May 2015) and the east section, which has now also acquired environmental approval, are both to be completed by 2022 at the latest.

4,5 km of Tunnels planned altogether

The S 7 is altogether 28 km long. The ASFINAG (state-owned authority with responsibility for motorways and highways) is investing some 620 million euros in this link with the Hungarian border near Heiligenkreuz, with the west section involving two large tunnels and 480 million euros accounting for the bulk of the investment costs. The Rudersdorf Tunnel is planned to be 2900 m long and the Speltenbach underground road 1000 m long. Invitations for tenders for the main contract sections are to be published in late 2016/early 2017. The east section contains the 630 m long Königsdorf Tunnel. In contrast to the original plan, work on this section according to ASFINAG will now start in 2017 rather than spring 2019. However, at present there is a citizens’ initiative petition pending on the S 7 with regard to the environmental approval certificate. The Federal Administrative Court has still to pronounce a ruling on this objection.