Overview
- Essen’s metro area ranks second nationwide for traffic congestion and first in North Rhine-Westphalia, with drivers facing 39.3% longer travel times than free flow conditions.
- In the city center last year, motorists accumulated 70 hours of extra delay over a typical 10‑kilometre peak‑period route, according to TomTom’s index.
- Damage discovered on the A52 Ruhrtalbrücke prompted an immediate full closure that snarled the morning commute, with a single‑lane reopening planned from 3 February.
- IHK Essen urged rapid decisions and concrete alternatives, arguing that inaction is not acceptable for the regional economy.
- A heated Landtag debate saw the opposition cite 172,000 traffic jams in 2024 and more than 2,400 ailing bridges, while the transport minister said extensive repairs and bridge works are underway.