[Germany] Autobahn A.2 and NRW new Roads

[c2R]

Just come back from Germany, and have been following the progress of road upgrades in the area, especially as many of the arenas for the forthcoming WM are in the area - so they are expecting an influx of visitors this June.

Preparations are well advanced now - lots of resurfacing and urban beautification in the Rhine/Ruhr towns has been completed.

On the motorways, big matrix signs have been installed on lots of sections, as well as colour coded signs to the stadiums (to allow for even traffic flows to an individual match on different approach motorways)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundesautobahn_2

On the A.2, widening to D3M the remaining sections between Oberhausen and the Kamener Kreuz is well underway, with the section around Oberhausen (including cut and cover tunnel) expected to be open this month. An interesting feature of the tunnel is that it contains radio repeaters for all the main VHF senders, to enable seamless radio reception through the tunnel (much like at Dartford) - however, these can also be used to broadcast other things such as emergency information - when I drove through they were warning people not to exceed the speed limit through the roadworks - annoying as I was trying to listen to the stauschau on WDR, but an interesting idea, and something which will probably enhance safety.

The other section (A2 from Do-Mengede to Do-Lanstrop) will not be ready by the summer, but should have an Autumn opening.

The Kamener Kreuz (A1/A2 junction) itself has had many sliproad closures in recent weeks, which is aimed at enhancing the cloverleaf design by unravelling it slightly to provide freeer movement between the motorways with the building of new sliproads.

On the A1 (Kamener Kreuz to Köln) and A46 (Wüppertal to Duisburg), there is continual work to upgrade remaining sections to D3M.

These sections of D2 Autobahnen are all quite old, many sections either without hard shoulders, or those interrupted by bridges. Indeed on sections of the A1 there were still some of the original cobbled laybys in evidence at the side of the carriageway (now closed off by crashbarriers).

Interestingly, unlike the widening of the M1 in Hertfordshire, where additional lanes have been added over time to the carriageway (the only section of motorway in England that is really directly comparable to these old sections), the widening of these roads in Germany has been more of a complete reconstruction.

Step 1 - Massive Land clearances and a new gradient for the road constructed - sharp bends have been tried to be eliminated, and gradients flattened where possible - resulting in sometimes a considerable vertical difference between the alignments of the old and new carriageway.

Step 2 - New carriageway construction - three lanes plus hard shoulder, with modern gantry signs and matrix signs

Step 3 - Divert all traffic to the new carriageway - use hard shoulder running and narrow lanes to fit D2 traffic onto new carriageway

Step 4 - Remove old motorway and align gradients and curves with newly built carriageway

Step 5 - Rebuild three lanes plus hard shoulder on course of the old motorway, but with the new strighter flatter course.

Step 6 - In urban/suburban areas, construct massive noise shield walls, in rural areas replant trees around the carriageway.

The work is therefore very time consuming, but it is bringing West Germany's ageing and busy motorway network into the 21st century at last, enhancing safetey by allowing good visibility of the road ahead and eliminating dangerous curves. The only downside is that the motorways are becoming now less interesting to drive - as it has gone from being leafy tree-lined road with curves and hills, to flat, straight, and very walled in! Still, these changes are necessary, and have decreased congestion significantly, and improved safety on roads where traffic often travels in excess of 150kmh.


Other interesting things found on my travels:

In Köln, a new carpark has been built under the banks of the River Rhein, that is over 1km in length - pictures to follow...

A3 between Kreuz Kaiserburg (A40) and ABKr Oberhausen NW (A2) - upgrade to D3M complete, and all speed restrictions removed.

A44 north of Velbert has been completed, along with the link road to the A46 - another small section on what is probably the motorway with the most individual unconnected sections in the world!

A42 Emscherschnellweg - Blacktop has been laid down on the extension planned at the western end of the road in direction of Kamp Lindfort, so this might be opening soon.

A40 signs have replaced the 'happy car' B1 signs on the Ruhrschnellweg between Bo-Ruhrpark J39 and ABKr Dortmund-West J42. After this, the road retains the B.1 number, but the bridge as you go into Dortmund is closed for rebuilding and widening.