Construction site chaos on the B502: This is how Heikendorf and Schönkirchen cope!

Construction site chaos on the B502: This is how Heikendorf and Schönkirchen cope!

The federal highway 502 between Kiel and Schönberg is currently being extensively renovated. The section towards Kiel has been completely closed since September 3rd, resulting in various diversions. Commuters and residents are now required to prepare for longer journey times as the diversion routes run through Heikendorf and Schönkirchen and these are sometimes unexpectedly busy. As the CN reported, traffic currently seems to be running relatively smoothly.

A self-experiment on the journey time on the diversions showed that on September 3rd at 8:36 a.m. the traffic at the Brodersdorf roundabout was quite light. Just four minutes later, at 8:40 a.m., no other vehicles were visible at the Heikendorf-Nord exit. This suggests that many commuters are using alternative routes or have already completed their journeys before the lockdown.

A look at the diversions

The diversions are well organized: For traffic from the north towards Kiel, the route leads from the Heikendorf-Nord junction via “Lehmkamp” and the K 51 to the Heikendorf-Süd junction. Anyone coming from Schönkirchen/Mönkeberg will also be directed via “Pahlblöken” to the L 50 to finally get back to the B 502. However, one user reported a traffic jam in Heikendorf up to the gas station that was around 850 meters long, and this could be a real feat, especially at rush hour.

The State government planned and coordinated the renovation work in advance in order to provide road users with the best possible information. The second construction phase will start on September 22nd, which will entail further restrictions; details will be announced separately. In total, the costs for the measure amount to around 2.5 million euros, most of which are borne by the federal government.

Traffic situation and forecasts

Like the live reports from Traffic jam.info show, there are current reports of cleared roadways and eliminated traffic obstructions on other sections of the B502. However, intensive traffic delays and longer travel times are to be expected during the construction period, especially at peak times when commuters use the diversions.

How the traffic situation will develop remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the adjustments to the B502 will still present some challenges for residents and commuters. The next few weeks will show how well road users can get used to the new conditions.