The Schlegelsberg bus turnaround will undergo a major expansion starting in 2027

The bus turnaround at Schlegelsberg in Wenigenjena is set to undergo a complete renovation starting in the spring of 2027. The City Council approved the necessary funding for this project at its meeting on September 30, 2026. A total of 800,000 euros—funds originally earmarked for the “Leo-Sachse-Straße” project—will be allocated for the expansion of the bus turnaround.

“By expanding the bus turnaround, we are creating better—and, above all, accessible—conditions for passengers. At the same time, we are taking the opportunity to coordinate the work with other projects by Stadtwerke Jena and the JenaWasser special-purpose association. This makes sense for residents because it allows us to bundle several necessary projects together,” says Dirk Lange, Director of Urban Development and the Environment for the City of Jena.

Construction scheduled to begin in spring 2027

The City of Jena, the JenaWasser Special-Purpose Association, and Stadtwerke Jena Netze are jointly carrying out a series of necessary projects on Schlegelsberg. In addition to the renovation of the bus turnaround, utility line and road construction work will also be carried out on the upper section of Berthold-Delbrück-Straße up to Eugen-Diederichs-Straße. 

“In 2025, we began replacing a failure-prone drinking water pipeline in the lower section of Berthold-Delbrück-Straße. This was urgently needed because there have been repeated pipe breaks here, leading to interruptions in service,” explains Jürgen Hofmann, chairman of JenaWasser. “There is a similarly urgent need for action further along Berthold-Delbrück-Straße. Nevertheless, we have postponed our work until 2027 so that we can carry out the construction in coordination with the City of Jena. In this way, we aim to limit the inevitable disruptions for residents in the neighborhood to the absolute minimum.” 

Redesign of the Bus Turnaround Area

The City of Jena plans to completely expand the bus turnaround area and redesign the Schlegelsberg bus stop to make it accessible. At the same time, structural deficiencies throughout the entire turnaround area will be addressed. Stadtwerke Jena Netze will also construct a new transformer station in the area of the turnaround. To ensure that construction work can begin in March 2027, the call for bids for the construction services is being published today (October 1, 2026). The goal is to complete the bus turnaround by fall 2027. 

Subsequently, coordinated construction work by Zweckverband JenaWasser, Stadtwerke Jena Netze, and Kommunalservice Jena will continue in the eastern section of Berthold-Delbrück-Straße. Plans call for the replacement of the failure-prone drinking water pipeline, sewer lines, and gas and electrical lines. The City of Jena plans to resurface the road. In total, the work will continue in several construction phases until the end of 2029. The work is complicated by the narrow streets in the neighborhood. 

The Wenigenjena District Council has already been informed about the project and the planned schedule. The impact on the route of bus line 14 is also being taken into account.

No Funding for 2027

Originally, the city had applied for approximately 450,000 euros in funding from the Free State of Thuringia for the project. In August, the city was informed that the project would not be included in the 2027 funding program.

The project partners do not consider it sensible to postpone the project and reapply for the 2028 funding program. For one thing, experience shows that funding is not guaranteed; for another, implementation starting in 2027 is important for the further expansion plans of the municipal utilities and the special-purpose association in Wenigenjena.

To ensure that construction can begin as planned, 800,000 euros will therefore be transferred from the “Leo-Sachse-Straße” investment project to the project account for bus stops managed by Kommunalservice Jena. The funds for the expansion of Leo-Sachse-Straße will be needed at a later date: Following consultation with the utility providers, the fundamental expansion of this street is not expected to take place until 2028/2029 as a coordinated measure.