On March 21, 2025, residents of Northern Germany are once again confronted with traffic congestion as peak season approaches, particularly in three major regions: Lübeck, Greifswald, and Solingen. With the arrival of spring, the Stau-Warner services have reported significant delays due to road construction, accidents, and a strain on overloaded routes on major highways.
In Lübeck, the local traffic update service, LN-Staumelder, outlines the current congestion hotspots throughout the city and surrounding areas. According to reports, frequently gridlocked routes include sections of the Autobahn 1 and Autobahn 7. Specifically, the A1 highway, which connects Hamburg with coastal towns and runs through Lübeck, is notorious for traffic jams during tourist seasons.
Data sourced from TomTom, which specializes in automobile navigation systems, provides essential live traffic updates relying on GPS coordinates from millions of devices. The service also combines automatic data from around 80 million mobile devices and input from governmental road sensors to ensure accuracy. Updates are provided every five minutes, allowing commuters to stay informed about current traffic conditions.
The traffic congestion is not only limited to Lübeck. In the nearby city of Greifswald, similar reports emerge from the OZ-Staumelder, covering the critical regions of Usedom and surrounding roads. The same methodology of tracking traffic congestion applies, utilizing data from TomTom. The A20 and various federal roads such as the B105, B109, and B110 are identified as being particularly susceptible to delays, exacerbated by construction zones.
Moreover, the data suggests that the overall traffic scenario might remain critical due to the simultaneous roadworks affecting the main thoroughfares in the region. Residents are urged to proceed with caution and remain courteous to fellow road users in light of this congested period.
In Solingen, where traffic reports are primarily based on the ST-Staumelder, officials highlight the congestion on the Autobahns A1, A3, and A46. These highways are among the most congested routes in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), with substantial delays anticipated.
According to ADAC statistics, the A3 is the number one stau-strecke (congested route) in NRW, revealing that commuters spent over 10,000 hours stuck in traffic jams in 2023 alone. The A46, which links Düsseldorf to Wuppertal, ranks as the sixth-most congested highway as well, showcasing its importance for the regional traffic network. On the A1, nearly 6,500 hours of delays were recorded between Cologne and Dortmund, emphasizing how critical these routes are for daily commuters.
Solingen city planners are addressing these ongoing issues, especially regarding the A3 near the Solingen connection point, which is currently affected by extensive construction work, adding to the existing congestion troubles. This construction project is a significant concern for all who use this particular route, as it continues to contribute to hazardous driving conditions.
Important bypass roads in Solingen include the B229, which connects the city with Remscheid, and the B224, which links Solingen-Mitte directly to Wuppertal-Vohwinkel, thus interacting with the A46. Furthermore, regional residents should pay attention to smaller roads that contribute to the traffic network, such as the L357 Roggenkamp road connecting Gräfrath with the A46 terminus.
As the roads become increasingly congested, consistency in traffic monitoring and reporting is essential for drivers to navigate through the bottleneck events. The combined information provided by automated systems and human reporting offers valuable insights into current traffic conditions and helps reinforce safe driving practices.
The substantial volume of road traffic expected throughout the tourist season highlights the need for ongoing awareness from both commuters and local authorities. Continued diligence must be observed when it comes to adjusting travel plans to accommodate unpredictable road conditions.
In conclusion, with road construction and traffic accidents causing challenges for travelers in Lübeck, Greifswald, and Solingen, staying updated through services such as TomTom is critical for ensuring efficient travel. As spring unfolds with increased tourism, the strain on major routes is likely to persist, making patience and consideration for fellow road users more important than ever.
