Road Closure: A40 Highway Shut Down between Bochum and Essen After Holiday Period Ends
A40 Motorway Closure for Bridge Reconstruction in Bochum
Starting on August 18 at 3 PM, the A40 motorway section between Bochum and Essen will undergo a closure for approximately 15 weeks due to bridge reconstruction work on the Schlachthofbrücke near Bochum.
The closure will affect the stretch between the Bochum-Harpen and Westkreuz junctions, and traffic will be diverted via the A448 and A43 motorways. Drivers traveling towards Dortmund must take the A448 at the Bochum West interchange, then the A43 at the Bochum/Witten interchange, and reconnect to the A40 at the Bochum interchange. In the opposite direction, towards Essen, the detour will be the reverse of this route.
The closure, which is being carried out by Autobahn GmbH, will last for eight days in total. However, there will be no disruption on August 26 after 5 AM. A detour will be signposted during the A40 closure.
Last year, a similar closure occurred between Bochum and Wattenscheid from August to mid-December. The "Slaughterhouse Bridge" in Bochum-Hamme was demolished and rebuilt last year, and the final remaining work on the new bridge has recently been completed.
After the 15-week full closure, some traffic restrictions will remain until mid-2025, until the southern part of the bridge is completed. Only after that will normal traffic with two carriageways in each direction resume. The A40 road surface renovation includes renewing the top layer.
It is important to note that the closure will not allow traffic to pass between Wattenscheid-West and Essen-Zentrum on the A40 towards Duisburg. Schools in NRW will reopen on Wednesday, August 27, after the summer holidays.
We advise drivers to plan their journeys accordingly and to follow the signposted detours during the closure period. Subscribers to our newsletter agree to the terms of use.
The closure on the A40 Motorway will temporarily disrupt the transportation of goods and passengers in the automotive industry, potentially causing delays in logistics and supply chains within the region of Bochum and Essen. Although the finance industry may experience a temporary decrease in productivity due to affected commuters, long-term impacts are expected to be minimal as alternative routes are provided.
