Complete closures of the A1/A59 near Leverkusen

The disruptions are part of preparations for the opening of the bridge over the Rhine. Once the new bridge is open to traffic, all existing weight restrictions will no longer apply. The A1 motorway will be closed in the direction of Dortmund and Trier/Koblenz, and the A59 in the direction of Leverkusen and Düsseldorf.

The first part of the new bridge structure has been completed. Before the official opening on February 4, a lot of work is still required to connect it to the existing road network and ensure traffic safety. Elements that are no longer needed, such as truck barriers or old overhead cranes and their foundations, are being dismantled. During the complete closure of the A1 and A59, other works will also be carried out that would not be possible if the bridge was open to regular traffic.

Top questions and facts about the closure

What will be closed and when?

➡ On Friday, January 19, from 10 PM the A1 motorway in the direction of Dortmund will be completely closed between the Cologne-Nord and Leverkusen junctions and in the direction of Trier/Koblenz between the Leverkusen junction and the Cologne-Niehl junction. The work related to the closure starts at 8 PM, which means that it will no longer be possible to use of specific lanes, especially at motorway junctions and intersections.
➡ On January 19, from 8 PM, the A59 motorway in the direction of Leverkusen will be closed from the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle to the end of the motorway and in the direction of Düsseldorf between the Rheinallee entrance and the Rheindorf junction.

How will traffic be diverted?

➡ Diversions for transit traffic
Information about the complete closure of the A1 will be displayed well in advance on variable message signs, e.g. in front of the Wuppertal-Nord junction. Diversions for through traffic in Dortmund and the nearby towns on the right bank of the Rhine and Koblenz/Ter, as well as the nearby towns on the left bank of the Rhine, are marked in red and run along the Cologne ring road.

In the direction of Koblenz/Trier, traffic will be diverted from the Leverkusen junction via the A3 towards Frankfurt and from the Heumar motorway triangle via the A4 towards Aachen. The diversion towards Dortmund will start from the Cologne-Nord junction on the A1 motorway towards Trier to the Cologne-West junction. The red diversion route leads to the A4 towards Olpe and from the Heumar motorway triangle to the A3 towards Oberhausen.



➡ Diversion due to the closure of the A59 motorway


The A59 motorway will be closed starting from the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle. Diversions are compulsary for all vehicles traveling to Leverkusen along the A542 towards Langenfeld and the Langenfeld motorway triangle via the A3 towards Frankfurt to the Leverkusen-Zentrum junction.



➡ Diversion in the Leverkusen city center


Since access to the A59 motorway is closed, there is a diversion in the city center (U11) to Rheinallee, marked with yellow signs. It leads via Rheinallee, Titanstrasse and Willy-Brandt-Ring to the Leverkusen-Zentrum junction.

There is also a diversion from the B8 in both directions via the U11 to the Willy-Brandt bypass.

➡ Recommendation for transit traffic
Vehicles in transit are advised to avoid the area where the A1 motorway is completely closed, and to use alternative routes whenever possible.

Dates and times of the closures

➡ Friday, January 19:
• from 8:00 PM the A59 motorway will be completely closed between the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle and the Leverkusen-West intersection as well as individual intersections and connecting lanes at intersections and motorway triangles;
• from 10 PM, the A1 motorway will be completely closed between the Leverkusen intersection and the Köln-Nord intersection.

➡ Monday, January 22:
• from 5:00 AM one lane of the A1 motorway between the Köln-Nord junction and the Köln-Niehl junction (FR Dortmund) will be reopened.

➡ Sunday, February 4:
• from 1:00 PM, the A1 and the Leverkusen Bridge will be officially opened by the Minister of Transport, Dr. Volker Wissing;
• individual closures will then be successively removed.

How will traffic flow after the bridge opens?

During the complete closure, both carriageways will be connected to the first part of the new bridge. After the official opening of the bridge on February 4, three narrowed lanes will be available from the Leverkusen intersection to the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Koblenz/Twir. In the direction of Dortmund, the main carriageway of the A1 at the Cologne-Niehl junction will be narrowed from three to two lanes. Between the Niehl junction and the Leverkusen Bridge, the slip lane will then be used as a third lane, so that there will be three narrowed lanes in this direction from the bridge.

The entire area between the Leverkusen intersection and the Cologne-Niehl junction is marked with yellow road markings due to the narrowed lanes. The speed limit along the entire section is 80 km/h. There is also a overtaking ban for lorries, coaches and combinations with trailers.

Will vehicle weight restrictions still apply on the bridge?

No, once the new bridge is opened, all existing weight restrictions will no longer apply. This means that lorries, coaches and all other vehicles will be able to cross the bridge again. This means that during the complete closure, all lorry barriers will be removed.

What will happen to lorry barriers?

During the complete closure, all five truck barriers will be dismantled (on the A1 motorway towards Dortmund and towards Koblenz, the parallel carriageway of the A1 motorway at the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Dortmund, Industriestrasse before the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Dortmund and on the A59 motorway Leverkusen-West junction towards Koblenz).