Hamburg, June 20 – Drivers in and around Hamburg are advised to expect significant traffic disruptions this weekend. The A1 motorway is closed until Monday morning for construction work on the Süderelbe Bridge in the northbound direction.
A1 Northbound Closure Between Hamburg-Harburg and -Stillhorn
The A1 will remain closed until 5 AM on Monday between Hamburg-Harburg and -Stillhorn, affecting traffic heading towards Lübeck. The primary diversion route will be via the parallel B75. Specifically, drivers should exit at Harburg, use the Fünfhausener Landweg, and rejoin the B75 at Neuland, then return to the A1 at Stillhorn via the Kornweide interchange.
Staus Anticipated on Diversion Routes
Traffic jams are highly anticipated on the diversion route, exacerbated by additional heavy vehicle traffic due to existing restrictions on the Norderelbe Bridge. A spokesperson for Autobahn GmbH stated that traffic light timings at the particularly congested Stillhorn interchange would be adjusted. However, the spokesperson warned that “the closures will mean traffic jams” and that “it will certainly be tight on the diversion route.” Drivers are strongly advised to avoid Hamburg if possible on the upcoming weekends.
Background to the Closures: Süderelbe Bridge Reconstruction
These closures are part of essential construction work for the replacement of the Süderelbe Bridge. The dilapidated Elbe bridges on the A1 are being replaced with new structures. The new Norderelbe Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of 2029, with construction starting next year under an accelerated procedure in Hamburg.
Further Closures Planned
- June 26-29: The northbound closure will be repeated from Friday, June 26, 10 PM, to Monday, June 29, 5 AM, if construction is not completed ahead of schedule.
- First two weekends of July: The southbound lanes towards Bremen will be affected. Similar to the northbound closures, the second scheduled closure for the southbound direction may be cancelled if work finishes earlier than planned.
In addition to the A1 bridge work, Deutsche Bahn is also planning to rebuild the railway bridges over the Süderelbe. These works are scheduled to begin in 2028, replacing structures originally built in the 1970s.
Local Traffic Updates and Wider Context
Drivers can find current traffic information, including details on traffic jams, construction sites, and hazards, for Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern via NDR.de. This news was broadcast on NDR 90.3 as part of the NDR 90.3 Aktuell program on June 16, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
This is not the only significant event impacting Hamburg’s infrastructure and public life. Recent news includes a successful evacuation drill at St. Michael’s Church, a false alarm involving a dynamite dummy on an S-Bahn train, and thousands of cyclists expected for the “Cycling – Climate Protection!” rally.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/a1-in-hamburg-heute-ab-22-uhr-in-richtung-norden-gesperrt,aeins-132.html
