A7 closure in Hamburg: 55 hours of chaos on the weekend!

A7 closure in Hamburg: 55 hours of chaos on the weekend!

A very special weekend is coming up in Hamburg: From Friday, July 18th at 10 p.m. to Monday, July 21st at 5 a.m., the A7 will be completely closed for a whopping 55 hours. This section concerns the area north of the Elbe Tunnel between the Hamburg-Schnelsen junction and the Hamburg-Nordwest triangle. The reason for the blocking? The technical upgrade of the Schnelsen noise protection tunnel. After eight years of operation, all computer components and software are being replaced.

For everyone who relies on the A7, a wide detour via the A1, A21 and B205 is recommended. Diversions are also being set up in the city to keep traffic flowing as best as possible. The last full closure of the A7 took place at the beginning of July and also included the Elbe tunnel. Now that the holiday season has begun in some federal states, there could be additional traffic jams in the city, especially due to various events.

The following closures are also imminent

However, this measure is just one of many that will take place in Hamburg as part of the A7 expansion. Further planned full closures have already been scheduled:

• 26. bis 29. September: Elbtunnel, K20 und Tunnelleitzentrale – Umschaltungen und Prüfungen.
• 17. bis 20. Oktober: Instandhaltung und Technik im Tunnelbetrieb des Elbtunnels.
• 7. bis 10. November: Bau- und Prüfmaßnahmen an der Hochstraße K20.
• 14. bis 17. November: Wartungs- und Technikprüfungen im Tunnel Stellingen.
• 6. bis 7. Dezember: Nachts Arbeiten im Haupttunnel an der Hochstraße K20.

The noise protection tunnel in Hamburg-Schnelsen will also be closed again and again in the coming months to enable full use. The first closure after the current one is from August 16th to 18th, where the road in the direction of Flensburg/Kiel and Heide between Stellingen and Schnelsen/Eidelstedt is affected. Here, open-pored asphalt is being laid on around five kilometers of motorway, with the aim of reducing noise.

Overall, there are a few things to consider for all drivers. From June 2022, traffic will be routed through, among other things, the western tube of the noise protection tunnel. The new eastern tube will be put into operation from October 25th to 28th, and the third closure from December 6th to 9th will mean that all traffic will then flow through both tubes on two lanes each. From spring 2020, there will be full three-lane use.

For all Hamburg residents and travelers, we can only hope that the diversions work well and that waiting times remain manageable. It's worth taking a closer look, because the new developments in the transport system also promise a reduction in noise and thus a better quality of life in the region.

Further details on the upcoming lockdown can be found at NDR and KN online.