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New highway for Rügen

December 8, 2015

Vacationers will soon be able to get to Rügen by car faster. Chancellor Angela Merkel has opened a new highway on Germany’s largest island.

https://p.dw.com/p/1HJMY
Insel Rügen Reportage
Image: DW / Maksim Nelioubin

Following a construction period of more than four years, Angela Merkel has opened a new 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) long stretch of the B96n highway. The road leads straight to the Rügen bridge and will not only be a boon for vacationers in the summer, but will also reduce transport times for goods vehicles.

The 96.5 million-euro ($105-million) project was criticized by both environmental organizations and the federal audit office due to the high costs. Rügen is one of Germany's most popular holiday destinations with some 1.5 million visitors every year. It is famous for its unspoiled nature and sandy beaches.

ey/at/pw (dpa, stralsundtourismus.de, sellinruegen.de)