Further opening on Tuesday A61 reopens between Bliesheim junction and Erfttal junction
Region · On Tuesday, the A61 between the intersections Meckenheim and Kerpen opens to traffic again in the direction of Venlo. The section between the Bliesheim junction and the Erfttal junction reopened on Monday.
The official opening of the motorway takes place on Tuesday at the Meckenheim interchange by NRW Transport Minister Ina Brandes. The minister's car will lead the convoy around 10.30 a.m., which will travel from the former Swistbach rest area to the Rheinbach exit. The rest of the traffic can then join in behind the convoy. Beforehand, the yellow markings on the A61 will be removed in the approach to the interchange.
Subsequently, the two connections from the A565 coming from Bonn and Gelsdorf to the A61 in the direction of Venlo will also be opened. The section between the Bliesheim interchange and the Erfttal junction opened at 4 p.m. on Monday.
The A61 was particularly badly affected by the floods in July. The embankment and the drainage system of the motorway had to be repaired. Between Dünstekoven and Ollheim, the roadway had collapsed after the embankment was washed out.
Residents of the villages bordering the A61 will also breathe a sigh of relief, as the amount of evasive traffic should be reduced. There should also be fewer traffic jams on the A565 and A555 motorways, as these routes previously served as a large-scale diversion in the direction of Cologne.
On the section between the Bliesheim interchange and the Erfttal interchange, only two of the otherwise three lanes and shortened entry and exit lanes are available again since Monday afternoon. Subsequently, the direct connection from the A553 coming from Brühl to the A1/A61 as well as the exit at the Erftstadt junction, also reopened. (Original text: Hans-Peter Fuss / Translation: Mareike Graepel)
