The initial ideas and planning for a tunnel below the Warnow to the north of Rostock date back to the 1960s. As early as 1974, the “North Warnow Tunnel” appeared as a project in the General Construction Plan for the city of Rostock and the required area was kept free. At the start of the 1990s, there was an increase in traffic. This led to significant traffic problems in both financial and residential areas. Traffic jams on the main roads, loss of time, environmental damage, and noise pollution. However, it was only a legal amendment in 1994, the Private Financing of Long-Distance Roads Act (Fernstraßenprivatfinanzierungsgesetz), that made it possible for a privately constructed, financed, and operated route to be developed in Germany for the first time. On the 1st December, 1999, the first cut of the spade took place for the expensive and technically challenging project. The partners Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A. (F) and Macquarie Infrastructure (AUS) invested around 220 million Euros together with an international banking consortium under the management of the Deutsche Bank, the NordLB bank, the KfW development bank, and the EIB. The EU simplified the financing of the project by making a subsidy of approx. 8 percent available as part of the TEN funding (Trans-European-Network). The Warnow Tunnel consists of six waterproof concrete elements, which have been positioned in the riverbed using the float and sink process, which is unusual for Germany. This process was used because the bedrock was not suitable for a drilled tunnel. Including both gate constructions at the start and exit, the tunnel has a total length of 790 m. On the 12th September 2003, the Warnow Tunnel was opened by the Federal Minister for Transport,
Dr. Manfred Stolpe. Since then, the Warnow Tunnel has been used by thousands of car drivers each day. The number of tunnel users has already reached the 23 million mark (as at May 2010). Anyone who travels through the tunnel can save time and money, conveniently and safely.
Details and images of the construction phases 2001 to 2003 are available under here.
Did you know?
Each tunnel element has a child from Rostock as a godfather:
Werner, Anita, Rafael, Nadine, Ole und William – together the initial letters spell out the river name Warnow.
The tunnel also has a patron saint – Saint Barbara
Learn more here!
Figures – Data – Facts
We believe that companies that embrace their economic, social and environmental responsibility, both in the company itself and in society, are able to achieve long-lasting success. Based on this basic principle, we operate according to the motto “From the region, for the region”. All of our actions have to and will be measured against this principle of sustainability.
We’ve chosen to focus our attention on three areas: economy, social responsibility, and environment.
In addition to numerous external factors, it is the internal company policy, activities, and corporate culture that determine the success of a company. Excellent business performance is only possible with satisfied, motivated employees who truly work together and pay attention to the need of others.
The aim of this brochure is to introduce you to our idea of “Sustainable Development”, and how we go about achieving it.
