A40 Highway in Germany's Ruhr Area to Close for a Week for Construction

Germany's vital A40 highway, known as the "Ruhrschnellweg," faces another week-long closure in the Ruhr region. The shutdown, beginning Thursday evening and lasting until July 30, is for the installation of "whisper asphalt," a noise-dampening material.

The federal highway company announced that detours are in place and are extensively signposted. This closure affects the stretch between the Mülheim-Winkhausen and Essen-Ost junctions. Notably, a similar closure of this section occurred just over a month ago, lasting ten days and leading to considerable traffic congestion on detour routes and in adjacent cities.

“

Detours are signposted and run over a wide area.

To mitigate issues, detour routes have been improved with clearer signage. Drivers heading from Dortmund toward Duisburg will be rerouted via the A52 and A3. Those traveling from Duisburg to Dortmund will be directed through Mülheim and Essen city centers. The highway company urges drivers to follow the marked detours and avoid using navigation systems for alternative routes, as parking restrictions will be enforced along the official detours to ensure traffic flow.

The construction involves replacing the asphalt on a 5.8-kilometer section, requiring the removal of 110,000 square meters of old material. The new open-pore asphalt significantly reduces tire noise. The A40 is a critical artery, with 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles using the Duisburg-Essen section daily. Plans include a six-lane expansion and the construction of 16 bridges, a project expected to take many years.

“

Drivers should absolutely follow the signposted detour.