Traffic Chaos in Linz: Construction Sites and Tunnel Closure Cause Major Delays for Drivers

The closure of the Mona Lisa tunnel in the Ebelsberg district will, above all, significantly aggravate the already tense situation for everyone who comes to Linz from the south. The traffic artery B1 is then interrupted, extensive detours and long traffic jams are inevitable. Most of the traffic volume will probably shift to the A1 and the A7, where traffic already comes to a complete standstill almost twice a day.

Eye of a needle on northern city entrances

For many commuters, the B127, the Rohrbacher Bundestraße, is almost a dead end. A construction site on the Nibelungen Bridge repeatedly causes traffic to collapse and extends the travel time to Linz by an hour. A continuous stopping and parking ban in Rudolfstraße could possibly relieve the access and exit to the bridge. According to traffic councilor Martin Hajart, a readjustment would be possible if the authorities and the police wanted it.

The almost daily mega traffic jam will most likely remain until June 12th. Linz AG has the tram rails on the bridge replaced and the state has the expansion joints renovated.

Blocked A7 exits are changing

The next problem area is the A7 (Mühlkreisautobahn) on the Voestbrücke. For years, the Danube crossing has felt like a permanent construction site with built-in chicanes and frequent changes in traffic management: the Dornach motorway exit was closed until Tuesday, and the exits in both directions are closed until July. According to ASFINAG, there must be extensive renovations and repairs. “We have to redo all the asphalt, all the drainage, the lighting, the soundproofing, the signage. And of course that also means a long construction time,” says site manager Josef Reischl. From July 26th nothing will work again on the driveway towards Freistadt.

New Westring Bridge open to traffic in 2024

The renovated motorway bridge over the Danube is scheduled to open in autumn 2024. From then on, the Nibelungen Bridge will be a permanent construction site for several years. There will be one lane less in each direction, but the cycle path will be wider. However, the new Westring Bridge should also be passable in 2024 and thus ensure relaxation.