The invitation to tender for the integration of the line into the Erfurt node followed in July 2009.<ref name="ted-197803-2009-DE">{{cite journal|url=http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:197803-2009:TEXT:DE:HTML |title=D-Erfurt: Oberbauarbeiten |issue= Document 197803–2009–DE" |date=17 July 2009 |journal= Tenders Electronic Daily |language=de}}</ref> This was to be carried out in nine stages with train operations continuing and was scheduled to be completed in 2017. According to Deutsche Bahn, the already built structures have already been included in the regular maintenance program, in order to ensure their functionality at the opening of the line. Early operations on the section between Erfurt and Ilmenau and further modifications of the project were proposed. Deutsche Bahn rejected early operations on the line. On the one hand, such regional services had not been ordered by the State of Thuringia; on the other hand, the safety and control technology that would have had to be installed would have become obsolete when the entire line was opened and would have had to be replaced. The costs would have exceeded the benefits. In 2008, work was carried out on five bridges and tunnels of the new line. Höhnberg Tunnel was officially the last of the large projects to commence on the new line, with work starting on 30 September 2011. Near Püchitz, around 20,000 pieces were found at the largest North Bavarian site of the Linear Pottery culture during archaeological excavations on the course of the new line up to mid-2010. The permanent track and the overhead line on the northern section between Ilmenau and Erfurt would be built between August 2010 and November 2013, on the middle section between Coburg and Ilmenau between December 2012 and December 2015 and on the southern section between Bad Staffelstein and Coburg between January 2013 and December 2015. The contracts, which comprise the fixed track, including the foundations of the masts for the overhead line and wind and noise protection equipment, were let for the approximately 44 kilometre-long middle section for around €104 million and the approximately 22 kilometre-long southern section for around €60 million. The construction of superstructure and catenary in the 32.5 kilometre-long section between Erfurt and Ilmenau officially began on 9 September 2010. €110 million was allocated for the two-year construction work. Tunneling of the five still outstanding tunnels began during 2011 and the work in the Ebensfeld/Unterleiterbach area began in the first half of 2013. Around 1,500 employees were employed on the new line at the end