With the advent of modern technologies that integrate with each other and adapt to change, Germany is looking for a way to create an optimized transport network. For these efforts, the road infrastructure still presents many challenges.
What impact can innovative technologies have on Germany’s future? From intelligent traffic systems to artificial intelligence – it is important to develop visions to make Germany’s roads faster, safer and better.
GERMANY’S ROADS: THE CURRENT STATE
It is appropriate to review the current state of Germany’s road infrastructure. The transport infrastructure has made considerable progress in recent years and is constantly being improved. However, in order to obtain a complete picture, data evaluations were carried out which showed that there is still much to do and much to improve.
Analysis of the data confirms that the number of freeways has risen continuously in recent years. According to information from the Federal Highway Research Institute (BaSt), the German road network currently includes
- about 12,000 km of highway,
- almost 40,000 km of federal highways,
- 87,000 km of national roads,
- 91,000 km of district roads and
- around 395,000 km of municipal roads.
This leads to the conclusion that Germany’s infrastructure as a whole is extremely well developed.
However, there are also some problems that need to be addressed. Many roads in Germany are not yet state of the art. Some are in poor condition, resulting in inadequate road safety and poor driving conditions. There is also a lack of adequate equipment with traffic signs and signals, which are essential for safe driving.
The state must invest in road construction infrastructure to ensure road safety, optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion if Germany is to become a global innovation leader in the coming years. Such investment will make it possible to sustainably improve the current level of German infrastructure.
DEFINITION OF DATA ON GERMANY’S ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE?
The latest data from the Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Transport (BMDV) shows that Germany’s road infrastructure is well structured. The highways are well developed to enable fast connections between the various cities. In addition, there are numerous federal highways that offer good connections to smaller towns. The main roads in the municipalities are also well developed and safe for local traffic
Nevertheless, the German road infrastructure is facing a number of challenges. For example, it is particularly difficult for truck drivers to find a parking space in many cities. This is made even more difficult by the fact that most inner-city areas are overcrowded and not designed to meet the needs of trucks. But despite these challenges, truck drivers need to get their freight to its destination safely and on time.
It is important to point out that the problem is not just for the driver. If a truck cannot find a parking space, it often blocks a road or sidewalk – which in turn endangers or obstructs other road users.
One possible solution would therefore be to set up special parking lots for trucks near cities. These should be large enough and equipped with toilets and showers. This would allow drivers to recover during their break and continue their journey refreshed.
Findings such as these lead to the conclusion that further development of the infrastructure is necessary due to existing deficiencies. Taking into account the goal of increased road safety and reduced traffic congestion, this can serve as a basis for subsequent improvement measures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATUS QUO
The BMDV’s evaluations have shown that Germany’s current road infrastructure can be classified as satisfactory on average , especially in comparison to other European nations. However, its use is still in its infancy and offers room for improvement. This requires nationwide initiatives to increase road safety, for example through the use of the latest monitoring technologies or intelligent traffic management.
The high traffic density on German roads therefore leads to an increase in traffic volumes, which in turn leads to a deterioration in the quality of life. In Germany, public transport networks have been introduced in cities to reduce car traffic and pollution
in the long term. For this reason, successful attempts have been made in recent years to create these networks.
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS: STATUS, NEEDS AND CHALLENGES
In Germany, the transport infrastructure plays a central role in logistics due to the high volume of goods traffic. Without a well-developed road network, logistics activities cannot be carried out efficiently.
The focus of the German transport infrastructure is currently primarily on the construction and maintenance of federal highways and freeways in order to offer travelers an efficient means of transport. Since the 1970s, German highways have grown by more than 40 percent. In recent years alone, around 5.5 billion euros have been invested in the expansion of the German road network.
In the past, this system often led to serious problems with chronic congestion in many cities, as the volume of traffic could not be adequately handled by road capacity alone. However, since the strategic switch to high-quality public transport systems in many major German cities from 2008, this problem has been significantly reduced.
EFFECTS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPANSION
The expansion of local public transport has improved transportation overall by contributing to lower traffic volumes and, at the same time, more flexibility in travel planning. This has consequences for the general quality of life and for Germany’s image as a modern country.
The economic benefit is also due to the improvement of the transportation system
, as the expansion of public transport systems can contribute to significantly lower particulate matter pollution in inner cities and to lower fuel costs for private cars.
The expansion of local public transport is also an important step towards sustainability and climate protection. By promoting environmentally friendly means of transport such as buses, trains and bicycles, CO2 emissions are reduced and a contribution is made to combating climate change.
In addition to the ecological benefits, the expansion of public transport also has social aspects.
People without their own car and older people or people with limited mobility in particular benefit from a well-developed public transport system, as it makes it easier for them to reach their destination.
Overall, it can be said that the expansion of local public transport has a number of positive effects. It is therefore important to continue to promote and continuously improve this area – both in terms of environmental protection as well as social justice and economic development.
Due to the high volume of goods, light goods traffic can often increasingly switch to the road. There is therefore a great need to expand the road network in Germany in order to accommodate the increased volume of traffic and transportation routes.
The plan for the future is to expand important highways throughout Germany and create new junctions at the country’s borders. The expansion will also take place gradually and will therefore not have the environmental impact of a major construction project.
TRANSPORT MODES IN FOCUS: WHAT POTENTIAL DO INLAND SHIPPING, RAIL AND AIR FREIGHT OFFER?
Freight transport is a key component of the economy, fueled by rising demand. E-commerce in particular has led to a significant increase in transport volumes in recent years
. This affects both long-haul pipelines and air traffic. With increasing globalization, routes have become longer and traffic volumes have increased.
Freight transport comprises the transportation of goods of all kinds between different locations by road, rail, water, air or pipeline. This does not include internal company traffic – this is not recorded in the freight transport statistics.
There are therefore different types of freight transportation to reach the final destination. Most goods are transported by truck. Freight transport by rail and ship follows at a considerable distance.
Rail transport
Logistics by rail is a particularly efficient way of transporting goods, which impresses with its environmental friendliness, low costs and short transportation times .
As the infrastructural conditions for intermodal transport are constantly being improved, it also offers itself as an alternative to truck transportation.
Air traffic
Despite increasing environmental awareness and sustainability, air freight still plays an important role in the transportation of goods for many companies. This is because, compared to other methods, this mode of transport has a high environmental impact, but is fast and flexible.
From a distance of 1,000 kilometers, air freight is clearly superior to other modes of transport in terms of speed. In addition, the air route guarantees a particularly high level of security for the goods due to the strict regulations at the airports. However, cargo space is limited in terms of capacity.
INLAND SHIPPING
Compared to other modes of transport, inland waterway transport demonstrably offers enormous potential, which is why it is considered one of the few modes of transport that has not yet been fully exploited.
The federal waterway network comprises a total of 7,476 kilometers of inland waterways, 75 percent of which are rivers and 25 percent canals. The federal waterways also include around 23,000 square kilometers of water surface, including 450 lock chambers and 290 weirs.
They are managed by the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV), which provides two ship lifts for shipping. There are also 15 canal bridges and two dams on the waterways.
Around 4,800 kilometers of the federal waterway network – within the waterway network divided according to capacity – are of considerable importance for international freight transport in Europe.
The advantages of inland waterway transport include
-
- a large capacity
- a favorable transport price and
- an environmentally friendly way of transporting goods.
However, this mode of transport is dependent on the weather and is extremely slow.
ROAD HAULAGE
Compared to other modes of transport, road freight transport is now much more heavily developed, as more capacity and expansion projects are required. At the same time, however, the volume of traffic has increased enormously, resulting not only in longer journeys but also in traffic jams.
What’s more, many bridges (for truck traffic) are also closed, which makes freight transportation even more difficult. But despite all these challenges, there are companies that have specialized in road freight transport and are using it successfully.
Because there are advantages here too: Transporting goods by truck is often cheaper than other methods such as air freight. In addition, larger quantities can be transported and the road network is well developed in many parts of Europe.
WHICH MODE OF TRANSPORT IS BEST?
Ultimately, the choice of the right mode of transport for goods transportation always depends on various factors, such as the weight and size of the goods to be transported or the destination. It is therefore important to carefully consider which method is most suitable – whether it is by air, by ship or by truck on the road.
CHALLENGES OF FREIGHT TRANSPORT
The increasing demand and growing volume of freight transport also brings challenges. The transport infrastructure must meet the higher requirements in order to ensure the smooth flow of freight traffic. In addition, the environmental impact must be minimized, for example by using alternative drive systems.
Despite these challenges, freight transport is essential for a functioning economy. Without it, many industries would not be able to exist and supply bottlenecks would occur. It is therefore important to find solutions to make freight transport more efficient and sustainable.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE LOGISTICS CONCEPT THROUGH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Traffic on freeways and main roads in Germany has steadily increased in recent years and the junctions from which they branch off are overloaded. While the number of cars in Germany continues to grow and junctions are becoming more and more congested, the actual number of road users is not increasing proportionally.
To reduce congestion and improve quality to meet future demands, the federal government has approved a series of “smart” interchanges that use sensor technology to automatically adjust traffic flow and speed limits to demand.
Germany is the first country to introduce the new system called “effective traffic management“. It uses a collision detection system that registers approaching vehicles in the inside lane and adjusts the vehicle speed accordingly.
There are also sensors on overhead poles that detect how fast cars are going and reduce their speed limit accordingly. The sensors also detect when a vehicle’s braking distance increases on a bend and slow down the traffic behind them.
This system is divided into three zones, each with different speed limits : a fast zone, a slow zone and an intermediate zone in which the speed is adjusted depending on the congestion.
The Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) system offers a way to adjust traffic in the fast lane when a vehicle stops to let pedestrians pass. To do this, the speed in the slow lane can be reduced to ensure that each vehicle has sufficient road space available. It could also be used to measure how long it takes for a vehicle to come to a stop after the brake and warning signal.
Such intelligent traffic management systems are already in use in many cities around the world, including Munich, Vienna, London and Paris.
TESTING NETWORKING OPTIONS VIA 5G FOR LOGISTICS, TRANSPORT PROCESSES AND MORE
Networking options via 5G must also be tested in Germany. Among other things, this can help to develop new approaches in terms of logistics, transport processes and chain development.
These opportunities include, for example, using the 5G infrastructure to connect new logistics networks. One of the biggest challenges for many years has been the last mile service. In view of the wide range of mobility services in urban areas and on the road, new solutions need to be developed that enable transport processes to be optimized and networked logistics systems to be set up with individual production chains.
The advantage is that goods can be produced close to their final destination through the use of 5G-compatible technologies (e.g. drones or autonomous shuttles). This enables intelligent logistics networks.
POSSIBLE FUTURE EFFECTS OF 5G IN GERMANY
5G has the potential to create new business opportunities and boost the economy. In this respect, it will also have an impact on society and society will have to adapt its structures accordingly.
The key question is: What can we achieve with 5G in terms of services and infrastructure? We also need to consider what is not yet possible with current technology or due to a lack of infrastructure, such as on-demand access from urban or rural areas without network coverage.
CONCLUSION
Germany has a well-developed road network that is an excellent example of state-of-the-art and innovative technologies. Thanks to investments in modernizing and renewing the infrastructure, traffic congestion has been reduced, travel times cut and road safety increased. All efforts to improve Germany’s road infrastructure have therefore been worthwhile.
Nevertheless, there are still some challenges that need to be overcome. This can be achieved with continuous optimization measures and the use of modern technology, among other things.
Picture credits:
Image 1: stock.adobe.com © D. Kvasnetskyy
Image 2: stock.adobe.com © Romo Lomo
Image 3: stock.adobe.com © garmashevanatali
Image 4: stock.adobe.com © Michael Rogner
Image 5: stock.adobe.com © metamorworks
