Locking the A8 near Pforzheim until 2026: Traffic collapse threatens!

Locking the A8 near Pforzheim until 2026: Traffic collapse threatens!

Pforzheim, Deutschland - Pforzheim/Enzkreis. The A8 in the area of ​​the Pforzheim-Ost junction comes up with unexpected news. The Enz and B10 bridges are currently understood in the course of an extensive expansion of the highway in the new building. It was originally planned to release the rides and departures in the direction of Stuttgart again by the end of 2024. However, a current press release from Autobahn GmbH Units Southwest branch that this block will now be extended by early 2026. A setback that affects displeasure with the commuters and residents.

The FDP-Member of the Member Prof. Dr. Erik Schweickert expresses sharp criticism of this delay announced shortly before the reopening. He states: "It is unacceptable that such essential information is communicated only a few weeks before the state open. This is not a smaller change, but significant innovations in the construction process." Schweickert argues that those who look at the construction progress on site could have guessed a long time ago that the opening will not take place so soon. Nevertheless, an early message to the project monitoring and the public would have been necessary.

reasons for the delays

The motorway company relies on rescheduling that was already necessary last year to adapt the structural conditions to the bridges. Schweickert criticizes this reason: "Nobody can tell me that after months it only becomes clear to the planners that they cannot release the junction in time." In his opinion, one would have had to do everything possible to accelerate the opening. He suspects that extensive rescheduling should be avoided and drivers are now faced with accomplished facts.

Another argument that Schweickert leads is the need for safe and contraret-compliant access and departure options. Due to height differences of up to five meters on the new bridges, the junction in the current design can only be put back into operation after completion. "I expect the construction site to be promoted at high pressure," the politician demands that the blocking of the rescue workers will also be delayed in the event of accidents and that the surrounding places burdened heavily by diversion.

The preparations for the full closure of the B10, which is also affected by the construction work, are already on the agenda. In July, the B10 will also be fully blocked in the section for the first time. This will further strengthen the already tense traffic situation in the region and present the affected residents with great challenges.

With the upcoming construction work, not only the infrastructural conditions should be improved, but traffic safety should also be increased. However, this remains behind the expectations due to the persistent delays and arouses the concern that even during the construction phases, the traffic situation remains suboptimal.