Germany: A7 Closure at Horster Dreieck. Major Disruptions on the North–South Route

As of July 10, the A7 motorway has been completely closed in the northbound direction (towards Hamburg) at the Horster Dreieck interchange. The reason? A sudden closure was implemented south of Hamburg, in the direction of Flensburg, after severe structural damage was discovered in a concrete bridge during renovation work near the Horster Dreieck.
The motorway operator decided to completely suspend traffic on this section heading north for safety reasons. There is currently no official information on how long the disruption will last—a detailed technical assessment is underway to determine the extent of the damage and necessary repair measures.
Drivers heading toward Flensburg must use a detour via the parallel A1 motorway. The recommended route leads from Horster Dreieck via signs to the A39 (Lüneburg/Seevetal-Maschen), through the Maschener Kreuz interchange, and back to the A7. Southbound traffic is currently unaffected and flowing normally.
The A7 is one of Germany’s key transport arteries—it connects the southern part of the country with Denmark and handles a massive volume of transit traffic, including international freight. Its partial closure poses a significant challenge for transport companies, especially in the middle of the holiday season, when traffic volumes are even higher. Industry associations are urging transport firms and drivers to closely monitor traffic updates, plan routes flexibly, and account for potential delays in their delivery schedules.
MAPA