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Big traffic jams expected: A4 between Düren and Cologne closed to truck scales!
A truck scale will be installed on the A4 near Düren from July 18th to 21st, resulting in closures and diversions.
Big traffic jams expected: A4 between Düren and Cologne closed to truck scales!
The streets around Cologne are facing an important change. From Friday, July 18th at 10 p.m. to Monday, July 21st at 5 a.m., the A4 towards Cologne will be closed. This measure affects the section between Langerwehe and Düren, as the first automatic truck scale in North Rhine-Westphalia is to be installed there. The installation is part of a pilot project intended to increase safety and environmental protection in heavy goods traffic, such as WDR reported.
The installation of the scales marks a long overdue step towards better traffic control. Overloaded trucks should be detected and controlled more efficiently in the future. According to information from Autobahn.de, the weight control point at the Rur-Scholle-Süd rest area is expected to go into operation in spring 2026. This location, strategically chosen between Aachen and Cologne, is intended to better regulate heavy goods traffic from the important ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam.
Detours and danger of traffic jams
The closure is expected to result in congested detours. Long-distance vehicles can take the A44 and A61 from the Aachen junction, but this means a detour of around 20 kilometers. Problems are particularly foreseeable at the Jackerath triangle and the Kerpen intersection, as many road users will take these routes. Those responsible warn that patience is required as traffic jams on the diversion routes will certainly not be avoided.
The planned weight checkpoints will be operated by Autobahn GmbH in cooperation with the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM). The cooperation agreement was signed in May 2023 and aims to establish a total of 16 such positions nationwide. These new controls are intended not only to remove overloaded vehicles from traffic in a timely manner, but also to protect road infrastructure and contribute to environmental protection, such as Traffic review explained.
How the new scales work
The weight is measured using measuring strips built into the road, which record the weight of the trucks while they are driving. If overloading is detected, the vehicles are then directed to the Rur-Scholle-Süd rest area, where they are weighed on a special lane with a permanently installed scale. Depending on the result, vehicles must be unloaded or reloaded, and administrative offense proceedings will be initiated if the weight exceeds the permitted limits. In this way, sustainable traffic protection can be guaranteed.
The announcement of these measures is met with widespread interest as it promises a significant improvement in the way heavy goods traffic is handled in the region. Those responsible are optimistic that these weight checkpoints will not only increase traffic safety, but will also help reduce environmentally harmful overloads and relieve air traffic in the Cologne area.