Crowded avenues celebrating the commencement of the Pentecost festival weekend. - Heavy traffic fills city roads as the Ascension weekend commences.
Cross-country Traffic Congestion Anticipated Ahead of Ascension Weekend
As the Ascension Day weekend commences, heavy traffic is likely on German highways starting from Wednesday afternoon. Based on data from the German Automobile Club (ADAC), this day is traditionally amongst the busiest ones of the year. Construction zones, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia, pose a considerable risk of traffic snarls.
Although there are no official school holidays on Friday in North Rhine-Westphalia, many students benefit from movable holidays, making them absent from school. Numerous other federal states observe the 'bridge day' as a public holiday, implying a high probability of families taking a short vacation, aggravating the already overwhelming traffic flow.
Roman Suthold, head of the traffic and environment department at ADAC North Rhine, cautions that congested highways proximal to Cologne and the Ruhr area will be incapable of handling the massive volume of traffic and the multitude of construction sites, leading to significant traffic jams.
Wednesday afternoon is predicted to present the heaviest traffic, between 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm, when both daily commuters and vacationers concur on the roads. Travelers leaving in the evening or on Thursday would likely reach their destinations faster amidst less congestion.
In contrast to the morning rush, Sunday's return traffic is expected to be full-fledged, posting fewer traffic jams than at the onset of the long weekend due to the absence of commuters.
Travelers are advised to consider alternative routes, such as utilizing the A59 or A4 instead of A3 or A1 in the Cologne area, and relying on A2 or A40 for east-west travel in the Ruhr area. Alternatively, public transportation like trains and buses could prove an efficient means of circumventing traffic congestion. Experts recommend planning journeys during off-peak hours and using traffic applications like Waze or Google Maps to stay updated on traffic conditions and find optimal routes. Pre-journey checks for road closures or construction can also be beneficial in averting potential delays.
In light of the anticipated heavy traffic during Ascension Weekend, it might be beneficial for some communities to implement flexible work policies or encourage telecommuting to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads. Additionally, as vocational training programs often prioritize practical, hands-on experience, providing vocational trainees with information about alternative travel routes or public transportation options could enhance their skill sets related to lifestyle management and travel awareness, as well as contribute to overall traffic flow reduction.
