Traffic collapse in Mölkau: City council fights against years-long blockade!

Traffic collapse in Mölkau: City council fights against years-long blockade!

On August 31, 2025, a heated debate took place in the city council about the traffic problem in Mölkau and Stötteritz. Several political groups were waiting for a proposal to ease the situation, which has existed for years. In 2015, the city council decided on a moratorium on the construction of the Middle Ring on the outskirts of Leipzig, which has since been extended. This leads to a constant traffic load of up to 20,000 vehicles daily.

A decided study on traffic pollution, with a target date of 2025, is now crucial for the construction of the Middle Ring, the costs of which are estimated at at least 60 million euros. FDP city councilor Sven Morlok expressed concern about the status of the moratorium at the last council meeting, as no report has yet been available. However, the planning department removed the study from the 2025/2026 double budget, which aggravates the situation.

Political disputes over transport applications

At the meeting, AfD city councilor Marius Beyer submitted a motion to extend the moratorium. This was seen by many as a window proposal. Head of the building department Thomas Dienberg explained that there was no money in the budget for commissioning a traffic report. The mayor Klaus-Ruprecht Dietze criticized the delays and the persistently high traffic load in the region.

There have been several measures in the past to improve the traffic situation. A pro-Mölkau initiative is now supporting efforts to relieve traffic congestion through a traffic investigation. So in September 2024 it was decided to start investigating the external tangential connection to the southeast in 2025. The costs for this were set at 130,000 euros.

However, on March 19, 2025, it was announced that the traffic study would be removed from the 2025/2026 draft budget, which may result in a delay of several years. Morlok criticized the fact that the investigation was not commissioned earlier when the financial flexibility was available, which points to the city's strained budget situation.

Future planning and citizen concerns

The members of the traffic group of the Initiative pro Mölkau have also spoken out in favor of a comprehensive review of the traffic regulations in Mölkau and Stötteritz. It is expected that the city administration will carry out a comprehensive traffic study from 2025 to provide long-term relief to the districts, but it remains to be seen whether this is possible in the current financial context.

According to Anja Feichtinger, the SPD parliamentary group leader, the city's budget situation is very serious and has a significant influence on the decision-making processes. Decisions on various applications are therefore pending at the upcoming local council meeting in May, and hearing the applicants is seen as crucial.

The current situation in Mölkau and Stötteritz remains tense. This is demonstrated not only by the ongoing traffic problems, but also by the uncertainties about future planning and necessary investigations, which are essential for effective relief. Discontent among citizens is growing as the construction department's list of priorities is often questioned and the expansion of critical infrastructure projects is stalling.