Construction site chaos in the Ruhr area: A43 and A42 heavily closed!

Construction site chaos in the Ruhr area: A43 and A42 heavily closed!

Drivers in the Ruhr area are facing a number of challenges as numerous motorway closures are underway. The A43 is particularly affected and will be closed several times in the coming weeks. DerWesten reports on the first closures, which took place from May 9th to 12th. The reason is urgently needed bridge work at the Herne motorway junction, especially on the dilapidated bridge over the Rhine-Herne Canal.

The next full closure of the A43 is imminent: On the night of June 17th to June 18th, the motorway between the Herne intersection and the Recklinghausen intersection will be closed in both directions from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The diversions lead largely via the A42, A45 and A2. Anyone coming from the A2 must also observe inner-city diversions to the Recklinghausen-Süd junction.

Planned construction work and traffic jams

The traffic flow on the A43 could be significantly disrupted, because it is not just the coordination of the diversions that poses a challenge. According to Ruhr24, the A43 is a traffic jam leader in NRW with more than 12,500 reports last year. The focus of the construction work is, among other things, on the western half of the canal bridge, where massive concrete slabs will be installed to replace the asphalt surface, while the eastern half is being rebuilt.

After the closure on June 18th, the A43 will be closed again: from June 27th at 9 p.m. to July 7th at 5 a.m. the section between the Recklinghausen intersection and Bochum-Riemke will be closed. Large-scale diversions via the A40, A2 and A45 are also planned here.

Further construction sites and diversions

ADAC reports numerous construction sites and bottlenecks. The A1 between Hagen and Unna is also affected, where only two lanes in the direction of Bremen will probably be available until summer 2025. There will also be several closures on the weekend from June 13th to 15th, including on the A1 and A3.

To minimize traffic jams and inconvenience, it is advisable to pay close attention to traffic news and consider alternative routes. Because even if the construction work is necessary to bring the roads into shape, they are a real test of patience for many drivers.