DB to widen bridge near Vilich Summer traffic chaos feared: full closure of the A 59

Bonn · The citizens of Bonn and commuters from the region have to be prepared for heavy traffic obstructions during the summer holidays: The reason is the full closure of the A 59 between Vilich and the motorway junction Nordost.

 The construction site on the A 59 motorway: a full closure is planned for the summer holidays. For those travelling by car, this could mean long waits in traffic jams. Photo: Benjamin Westhoff

The construction site on the A 59 motorway: a full closure is planned for the summer holidays. For those travelling by car, this could mean long waits in traffic jams. Photo: Benjamin Westhoff

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

With a broad-based information campaign, the City of Bonn is now drawing attention to the planned full closure of the A 59 between Beuel-Vilich and the Bonn-Nordost motorway junction throughout the summer holidays. The reason for the full closure is the extension of the motorway bridge in the course of the extension of the S-13 route. The aim of the campaign is to get as many people as possible from Bonn and the region to give up driving and use alternatives such as public transport and cycling, or at least to form car pools. Otherwise, there is a risk of traffic chaos in Bonn, as city planning officer Helmut Wiesner made clear at a press conference on Wednesday.

But the administration also wants to do its part to keep traffic disruptions to a minimum during the period from 22 June to 4 August. Thus, it is foregoing most of the construction work usually planned during the summer holidays. And yet: "We expect above all significantly more traffic on the inner-city roads, especially on the alternative routes B 56 and Reuterstraße," said Wiesner. And: "Without full closure of the A 59 in that section, the work would take months, if not longer.“

The diversions: In coordination between the city of Bonn, Deutsche Bahn and Autobahn GmbH, several diversions are to be signposted (see graphic). The B 56 and Reuterstrasse will serve as the main inner-city diversion routes. On Reuterstraße, the traffic lights are to remain switched on continuously on weekdays as during rush hour in order to increase the flow of traffic. Wiesner regrets that this is of course at the expense of the traffic crossing the road. In addition, the city wants to lift the ban on trucks passing through on Reuterstraße for the time the A 59 is closed.

Public transport: DB has announced that the RB 27 and the RE 8 will continue to run on the right bank of the Rhine throughout the summer holidays despite the construction project. To relieve congestion on the B 56, the public utility company refers to line 66, which will run at the normal frequency, but has corresponding capacities due to the lower passenger volume during the holidays.

Cycling: Wiesner, the city's planning officer, appeals to everyone who only has to cover a distance of up to ten kilometres to cycle if possible. "These short distances do not have to be covered by car, so that the roads can be relieved for necessary traffic such as commercial traffic, buses and trains," he said. Dirk Delpho from the Planning Department added that the City of Bonn and the Rhine-Sieg District, through their Jobwärts programme, wanted to make e-bikes, e-scooters and so-called speed pedelecs, among other things, temporarily available to the employees of participating companies from the joint pool during the time of the full closure, so that they could test their routes to work by bike.

The campaign: On Wednesday morning, Wiesner and Lord Mayor Katja Dörner (Green Party) jointly sent a personal letter to numerous companies, institutions, associations and various interest groups asking for support to help ensure that this closure will have as little impact on traffic as possible. The letter has been sent to, among others, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Chamber of Crafts, the retail association, large companies, the university and university hospital, federal authorities, ministries, hotel businesses and cultural institutions. In addition, the City of Bonn is counting on the Autobahn GmbH to draw attention to the A59 closure on a large scale via digital information boards on the motorways around Bonn and to allow many employees to increasingly use home offices.

The construction site situation: According to Oliver Neitzel, deputy head of the civil engineering department, and Angela Franken from SWB, the City of Bonn and the public utility company have agreed on the construction measures that cannot be dispensed with during the summer holidays. According to Neitzel, the work in Bornheimer Straße and Sternenburgstraße must be continued for contractual reasons. Also, from Thursday, 22 June to Sunday, 6 August, the sewer in Thomas-Mann-Strasse must be repaired. From Saturday, 24 June to Sunday, 16 July, SWB will be carrying out rail works in Quantius Street and the south subway. From Saturday, 1 July, to Sunday, 16 July, urgently needed track work will be implemented at the corner of Oxford-/Wilhelmstraße. Therefore, a rail replacement service will be operated between Bertha-von-Suttnerplatz and the main railway station for lines 61, 62 and 66.

The city points out that an up-to-date overview of the traffic situation on the main roads can always be found on the internet at www.bonn.de/aktuelle-verkehrslage.

(Original text: Lisa Inhoffen; Translation: Mareike Graepel)

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