Detour routes
In the city of Aachen, the following detour routes are planned for out-of-town traffic:
- Aachen-Zentrum junction, A4: out of town via Berliner and Prager Ring to Krefelder Straße and from Monheimsallee (Bastei junction) to Krefelder Straße; in addition, a detour route has been signposted from Jülicher Straße via Lombardenstraße and Grüner Weg in the direction of Prager Ring.
- Aachen-Laurensberg junction, A4: out of town via Vaalser Straße, Pariser Ring and Toledoring or via Roermonder Straße to Kohlscheider Straße
- Aachen-Brand junction, A44: out of town via Adenauerallee and Madrider Ring as well as via Heinrichsallee/Wilhelmstraße and via Adalbertsteinweg/Trierer Straße
- Aachen-Lichtenbusch junction, A44: out of town via Siegelallee or Adenauerallee to Monschauer Straße
The Würselen/Verlautenheide junction will remain open in and out of the direction of Cologne. It will still be possible to drive on towards the Aachen interchange (Cologne (A4), Düsseldorf, Belgium (A44)) and off towards Würselen and the Aachener Kreuz industrial estate.
Autobahn GmbH has opened up the hard shoulder lanes on the A4 between the Aachen-Zentrum junction and the Aachen interchange as a third lane in both directions. This should enable the A4, which has been widened to three lanes in each direction, to cope better and more efficiently with the increased detour traffic.
The designated detour routes have already proved their worth since the partial closure of the A544 in the direction of Cologne in July 2023. There have been no massive obstructions, even if there were repeated short-term tailbacks in the busy afternoon hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the first few days after the partial closure.
The city also recommends using the signposted detour route via Lombardenstraße and Grüner Weg on the way from the city center to the Aachen-Zentrum junction on Jülicher Straße. If some of the motor vehicle traffic uses this route to reach the Prager Ring and the A4 highway, this will noticeably relieve the already heavily congested Jülicher Straße/Berliner and Prager Ring intersection.
The construction work on the Turmstraße bridge in Aachen is not expected to be completed until Easter 2024. Nevertheless, according to the city's traffic planning department, this ongoing measure is not expected to cause any additional obstructions. The detour routes around the Turmstrasse bridge have proven their worth and are still available.
Traffic lights in Aachen
A traffic study focused on a total of 20 traffic lights in the city of Aachen and Würselen. In order to improve traffic flow and reduce waiting times, initial measures have already been implemented at the traffic lights, particularly for the afternoon peaks, as part of the partial closure in the direction of Cologne. Further switching programs planned for the full closure have been activated in the city of Aachen.
In connection with the closure, Autobahn GmbH has also had two additional traffic lights installed on Hauptstraße in Würselen (towards the city just before the A4 freeway bridge in the direction of Alt-Haarener Straße) and on Haarener Gracht (in the direction of Haaren just after the A544 freeway bridge). The traffic lights are intended to help shift some of the vehicle traffic from Haaren to the highway. A special bus lane was also set up with the installation of the gateway traffic lights on the main road. This should significantly speed up bus traffic on the route between Würselen, Haaren and Aachen.
Signage
Autobahn GmbH is responsible for the detour and signage on the freeways and junctions. It has also signposted and designated the coordinated detour routes in the urban road network to the Aachen-Zentrum, -Laurensberg, -Brand and -Lichtenbusch junctions up to the freeway junction.
At eight junctions around the Aachen junction, "convertible traffic information boards" (so-called UVITs) have been set up to provide early warning of traffic delays or corresponding alternative routes. Autobahn GmbH is also in contact with the highway operators in the Netherlands and Belgium. The aim is to ensure that drivers receive information and alternative route recommendations at an early stage, even in large-scale international traffic.
Cycle and pedestrian paths
The direct connection of the footpath and cycle path between Eilendorf and Haaren via Nirmer Weg and Haarbachtalstraße has been closed since the beginning of 2024. The closure was necessary because the Haarbachtal bridge is being rebuilt.
A new detour route was officially signposted at the end of October 2024. This detour is possible because the Eifel-Rur Water Association (WVER) has now opened its bridge over the Haarbach. This bridge is part of a large fenced-in rainwater retention basin belonging to WVER on the Haarbach and is not normally accessible.
The new signposted U3 detour runs in both directions along the following route: Nirmer Weg, WVER-Brücke, Kahlgrachtstraße, Haarener Gracht, Gärtnerstraße, Reuterweg, Haarbachtalstraße.
The two previous detour routes U1 and U2 can still be used, but are no longer signposted. The U1 ran from Verlautenheide via Kahlgrachtstraße, Haarener Gracht, Gärtnerstraße and Reuterweg to Haarbachtalstraße. The U2 ran from Eilendorf via Nirmer Weg, Schönebergstraße, Charlottenburger Allee and Auf der Hüls to Haaren.
Previous history
The Nirmer Weg between Eilendorf and Haaren was closed for at least 22 months in January 2024 in the immediate vicinity of the bridge construction site. This is definitely necessary for reasons of road safety.
This is because the originally planned approach to the construction site had to be fundamentally changed. This is mainly due to the fact that the A 544 highway bridge over the Auf der Hüls road is also being demolished and rebuilt. A large proportion of the construction site traffic will cross Nirmer Weg repeatedly during the entire construction period.
The idea of building a pedestrian tunnel up to 80 meters long after blasting and removing the rubble was not feasible.
Construction sites in Aachen
The City of Aachen carefully examines all planned construction projects to determine whether and, if so, what impact they will have on the new traffic situation. Where necessary and possible, construction work is postponed to a later date. The new traffic situations are also checked to see whether planned measures can be pushed ahead in the calmed areas during the full closure of the A 544 due to the shift in traffic.
However, acute construction sites - so-called emergency measures - that arise unplanned, for example because a burst pipe has caused the road to collapse, cannot be avoided. With 800 km of municipal pipe network and sewers in need of overhaul in many places, this can unfortunately happen again and again.