After 15 Years of Construction, Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Straße Is Finally Fully Open
Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Straße Fully Reopens After 15 Years of Construction
Karl-Marx-Straße, a major thoroughfare in Berlin’s Neukölln district, has finally fully reopened to traffic following 15 years of extensive construction. To mark this milestone, a street festival is planned for September.
Stretching nearly 3 kilometres from Hermannplatz to Grenzallee, Karl-Marx-Straße had been under phased renovation moving from north to south, with an initial completion target of 2021. The construction included significant upgrades to the road itself and renovations to the U7 subway stations located beneath.
According to a statement from the city of Berlin, the reopened street now features wider sidewalks, expanded cycle lanes, and additional pedestrian crossings. Alfred-Scholz-Platz, located between Anzengruberstraße and Ganghoferstraße, has also been redesigned to be more pedestrian-friendly.
“Broader pavements and new plaza areas like Alfred-Scholz-Platz invite Neukölln residents to stroll along the main street or enjoy a coffee,” noted district mayor Martin Hikel.
Street Festival Planned for September
To celebrate the end of construction, local authorities will host a street party along Karl-Marx-Straße on September 26, with more details to be announced closer to the date.
However, Berliners should make the most of the newly improved street while they can: a fresh construction project is already scheduled to begin in 2027 between Weichselstraße and Hermannplatz, as the BVG undertakes renovation of an U-Bahn tunnel.