Full closure of the B49: Residents in Lay have to accept detours!

Full closure of the B49: Residents in Lay have to accept detours!

On March 10, 2025, the expansion of the B49 between Koblenz-Moselweiß and Koblenz-Lay begins. This conversion provides for the full closure of the federal road to build a new foot and bike path. The complete blocking is expected to continue until September 24, 2025 and thus shortened around 1.5 months compared to the original planning. As part of this construction work, the road, drainage systems and support structures are also revised, which causes total costs of more than 18 million euros. The SWR .

The residents in Lay have been waiting for this measure for a long time because the new cycle and sidewalk has been desired for years. Nevertheless, the full closure causes resentment among residents because they are forced to accept longer detours, which could also lead to local businesses. The worries became clear at a citizens' meeting at the end of January, in which around 300 residents came together to discuss their concerns with representatives of the state company Mobility (LBM).

reactions of the residents and impairments

The opinions within the community are shared. While some residents welcome the start of construction, commuters and young families in particular express concerns about mobility during the construction period. The work will continue until 2028, since the B49 has a tight passage through a gas high pressure line that entails additional challenges. Public transport and school transport can also be affected by the full closure, which the situation continues to complicate.

• B49 to the Moselle Goldbrücke near Kobern-Gondorf, then via the B416 to Koblenz.
• B49 to the motorway feeder, then via the A61 and B9 to Koblenz.
• B49 to the L208 (Kondertal), then via the B327 (Hunsrückhöhenstraße) to Koblenz.

A shuttle operation between layer and the Dieblich is also planned to support the residents. The switch to line 31 in Dieblich takes place. In addition, the Layer Bergweg to the Hunsrückhöhenstraße will be used as an abbreviation, which will initially only be open one -lane, at the end of March.

project goals and long -term perspectives

The aim of the project is not only to create a new cycle and sidewalk, but also in improving traffic safety through the structural separation of bike, walking and lane. A background to the expansion is that the current cross-section of the B49 is no longer sufficient for the requirements of a federal road, especially with regard to the inclusion of foot and bike traffic, such as the LBM explained.

The construction work focused on a broader discussion about the need for an improved bicycle traffic infrastructure in Germany, which is treated as part of the National Radio Plan (NRVP), as a report of the Mobility Forums . The importance of research projects that can provide impulses for the development of cycling infrastructure is pointed out.

Overall, the expansion of the B49 between Koblenz-Moselweiß and Koblenz-Lay represents an important infrastructure project that is intended to improve both the traffic situation and serve the safety of road users and residents.