One of Germany’s longest autobahns is to undergo a major renovation intended to boost its green credentials. Sections of the A7 are going to be covered over, allowing space on top for parks, meadows, woods, cycle ways and community gardens.

Due to excessive noise pollution affecting the town of Hamburg, a new strategy for dealing with it, and the increased volume of traffic, is to send the major motorway underground.

Speaking to Fast Company, Reinhard Schier, from Hamburg's Ministry of Urban Development and Environment, said: "After that building is finished there will be parks, gardens, quietness, bird songs, fresh air. And the parts of the city in the west and the east of the autobahn will be reunited again."

Spanning a two mile section of the A7, the covered areas will offer 60 acres of green space for the city, with hopes of creating almost 2,000 new homes also.

Construction is set to begin on the first two autobahn covers later this year, ahead of an anticipated 2022 completion date. The A7 itself will be expanded during the building process, with some sections increasing up to eight lanes. The total cost of the project is thought to be at around €775m (£590m, US$890m), according to German broadcaster NDR.