Construction chaos in Cologne: closures and diversions bring traffic to a standstill!

Construction chaos in Cologne: closures and diversions bring traffic to a standstill!

The city of Cologne has announced a number of construction sites for the coming weeks, which will not only cause a certain amount of unrest on the streets, but also various diversions and closures. For many Cologne residents, the anticipation of summer could quickly turn into frustration when they get into the car. The first work is about to begin: The Severins Bridge in Cologne-Deutz will be closed on the nights of June 29th to 30th and July 6th to 7th, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Although such nighttime restrictions are necessary to carry out construction work, they also cause inconvenience for many commuters.

Also affected is KVB line 13, which is being worked on in the picture gallery in the area of ​​the “Geldernstrasse/Parkgurtel” stop. Work will be carried out here between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. during the day, which will lead to the lanes of the Mauenheim belt being alternately closed. So it remains exciting to see how traffic will develop during this time.

Traffic disruptions due to several construction sites

Another important point is the modernization of the traffic lights at the Weidenbruch/Honschaftstrasse intersection in Höhenhaus, which will begin on June 30th. During this two-week measure, a mobile traffic light will be set up, which of course also leads to restrictions on walking and cycling paths. Such construction-related changes make getting around even more annoying for many people.

The renovation of the Rhine bank tunnel in the old town/north is certainly one of the biggest challenges. Flood protection facilities are to be renewed here from July 8th to September 26th. During the day, a loss of one lane in each direction must be expected, and at night up to two lanes are affected. To make the situation even more complicated, the tunnel will be completely closed for six weekends, from Fridays at 9 p.m. to Mondays at 6 a.m. Diversions on the north-south route are being set up, but this poses additional challenges, especially for main traffic.

Additional construction sites and traffic review

However, these are by no means the only construction sites that Cologne residents can expect in the near future. For example, Aachener Straße in Müngersdorf is affected until August 8th between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. from June 16th to August 8th, while Aachener Straße in Weiden is used until October 31st. An overview of other construction sites in Cologne can be found on the city's website, which provides ongoing information about current traffic measures.

It should be noted that Cologne, as the fourth largest city in Germany and the most populous city in North Rhine-Westphalia, is heavily affected by traffic volumes on a daily basis. Over 300,000 commuters come to the city, making up over 40 percent of all employees. For drivers, congested routes such as Cologne-Düsseldorf or Cologne-Frankfurt can be a test of patience. The city center and especially the airport loop are also often affected. The situation will certainly not improve as a result of the ongoing construction sites.

The summer weather could perhaps provide some relief during the holiday season, but increased traffic volumes can be expected, especially at Cologne-Bonn Airport, especially at this time. Since there are many construction sites, which are often planned during the holidays, traffic jams can be even more severe and you should have solutions to avoid them. So if you don't want to be stuck in traffic, you should find out about alternative routes in good time to avoid possible delays.

Further information about the construction sites and their impact on traffic can be found at DAY24, the City of Cologne as well as Traffic jam.info.