Hercules Tunnel in Cologne: Partial collapse leads to massive traffic problems!

Hercules Tunnel in Cologne: Partial collapse leads to massive traffic problems!

In Cologne, the complete closure of the A4 at the Eifeltor and the closed Deutzer Bridge are causing a lot of traffic chaos. The reason? The Hercules Tunnel is no longer passable due to chipped ceiling tiles. As the Review According to reports, the dangerous situation was recognized at 2:15 a.m. after drivers raised the alarm about emergency calls from the falling ceiling tiles. At 2:30 a.m., police confirmed the situation and immediately closed the tunnel.

The chipped areas in the plaster are around one square meter in size and this noise protection plaster will be removed on Monday. According to initial assessments, superficial concrete damage was found, but this did not affect the stability of the structure. Motorists will still have to prepare for longer delays, with waits of up to 30 minutes on surrounding streets, including Innere Kanalstrasse, Subbelrather Strasse and the Ehrenfeld belt, like the Express reported.

Traffic problems and damage analysis

It remains exciting for all commuters in the city. While the tunnel can still be used into the city, it is only open in one lane, as safety reasons make it necessary to close lanes here too. On Monday morning, the on-site team will be busy knocking down the ceiling to closely check the stability of the plaster. A fire brigade operation, which was necessary on the Innere Kanalstrasse because of a car that caught fire, further exacerbated the traffic jam situation.

The damage analysis revealed that there are hollow areas in the eastern tunnel tube, which requires the plaster to be removed from large areas. This issue will continue to close the tunnel overnight on Tuesday night (September 16). The hope is that it can reopen on Tuesday morning. However, the city admits that the western tunnel tube also needs to be closed because damage was also found there.

Future prospects

The Hercules Tunnel has been in use for more than 40 years and a comprehensive renovation is planned for the coming years. Work on the replacement of the Liebigstrasse Bridge in the tunnel area is scheduled to begin in 2027, while the overall repair is scheduled for 2028. These measures are urgently necessary because the other tunnels that should urgently be added to the list of renovation measures include the Herkulesstrasse tunnel and the Bahndamm/Gulliver tunnel.

The excitement surrounding the Hercules Tunnel is reflected not only in hours of waiting, but also in the city's commitment to pay attention to the safety of traffic routes in the future. With all the current difficulties, one question remains: How long will traffic be held up until these repairs are completed?