Berlin hires tunnel expert to fix its chaotic construction mess
Berlin's Go-To Problem-Solver: At 63, a Tunnel Expert Takes On the City's Construction Chaos
Down-to-earth, no-nonsense, widely respected in his field, and now volunteering to tackle one of Berlin's biggest headaches—doesn't that sound familiar? Just as the city once turned to former fire chief Albrecht Broemme—who organized emergency COVID clinics in 2020, set up vaccination centers, and later managed refugee housing until 2025—it is now pinning its hopes on 63-year-old Jörg Seegers. A seasoned professional best known for his work on Berlin's U5 subway tunnel, Seegers has been tasked with untangling the capital's notorious construction site chaos.
Speaking to journalists at the Rotes Rathaus on Tuesday, Seegers may soon find himself facing a daunting to-do list, even though his current role is initially set to last only until the end of the year. The city's black-red coalition government has already approved measures to support his work. According to Transport Senator Ute Bonde (CDU), the goal is to improve construction site oversight—partly through digital means. Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) had first floated the idea of appointing a construction coordinator last year.
Bonde also unveiled a system that, while pragmatic, seems almost laughably simple compared to Berlin's struggles with far more complex challenges: BVG buses equipped with cameras will scan construction sites as they pass, recording their condition. The data will feed into a traffic authority database, where officials can check whether each site complies with approved plans—including proper signage and warnings. Whether this approach aligns with data protection regulations remains an open question.
Seegers—who prefers the title "construction manager" over "coordinator"—shares Bonde's view that better communication with residents and road users is key to preventing frustration from boiling over. "There's a lot of potential to defuse tensions," he said. Simple A2 or A3 posters at every site should clearly state how long disruptions will last. Seegers is currently lobbying the construction industry to adopt this practice voluntarily, without waiting for legal mandates.
Fines Too Low to Deter Violations
One of the biggest gripes, Seegers noted, is "construction sites where nothing happens—they're a massive nuisance." To stop companies from blocking streets with fences long before work even begins, he and Bonde are pushing for higher fines and the power to force premature sites to be dismantled. Currently, however, penalties hover in the "low hundreds"—hardly enough to make a dent in a construction firm's budget. Without real consequences, Seegers admitted, the system remains "a toothless tiger."
When asked why Berlin needs an unpaid volunteer to fix a problem that should fall to the Senate's well-staffed, salaried transportation department, Bonde cited Seegers' "incredible experience and reputation." While she praised her team as "highly experienced," she argued that Seegers' combination of skills is rare—even within government ranks.
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