Conversion of the Bottrop motorway triangle: higher security for road users!

Conversion of the Bottrop motorway triangle: higher security for road users!

The Bottrop motorway triangle faces comprehensive renovation work, which should not only optimize the connection between the A2 and the A31, but also increase traffic safety. The current plans were published on April 16, 2025 and can be viewed online by May 15th. According to Radio Emscher Lippe , the renovation aims to make the traffic streams between Bottrop and the north.

The measures include the extension of the entrance and exits as well as the widening of the lanes. A revised noise protection concept should also offer residents relief. The renovation was officially requested from the district government, but the start date of the work is still pending. An estimated construction period of five years can also be expected with full closures in the Bottrop triangle, which should only take place on a few weekends.

background and traffic situation

The Bottrop motorway triangle, which has been connected to the federal highways A2 and A31 since 1987, is a critical traffic junction in the western Ruhr area. As autobahn.de , the A2 leads west to Oberhausen and eastwards to Hanover, while the A31 runs north towards Emden. This triangle is particularly busy, with about a third of the traffic on the A2 towards Hanover on the Bottrop triangle.

The traffic situation is characterized by frequent traffic jams on the connecting lanes, which often go back to the Bottrop junction and further back to the A31. A connecting lane that is designed as a loop ramp can only be driven at low speed, which increases the risk of accidents at traffic jams. The planned conversion is therefore a high priority in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030 to eliminate these bottlenecks and to improve traffic safety.

investments in the transport infrastructure

The latest developments in the transport infrastructure are not only important locally. As part of the 2016-2030 Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan, a significantly higher focus is on the maintenance of existing roads and bridges than on the new building. According to Construction industry , a total of 26.2 billion euros will be available for investments in federal traffic routes in the coming years, which is a significant increase compared to previous years.

The federal government has reacted to the challenges that arise from increasing traffic loads and the state of the existing infrastructure. In particular, the conversion of the Bottrop motorway triangle is part of this strategy to reduce traffic jams and accidents and to ensure mobility in the region.