A40 near Mülheim closed for ten days to locate WWII unexploded bombs

The A40 motorway between Duisburg and Essen will be fully closed for ten days, from the evening of 21 June until 22 June, to allow experts to search for unexploded World War II ordnance in a 20‑metre section near Mülheim an der Ruhr. Both directions of the heavily trafficked road, which carries 80,000‑90,000 vehicles daily, will be shut, requiring long detours for motorists and freight traffic.

Drivers are advised to use a detour that runs from the Duisburg Kreuz onto the A59, then the A524, A52 and back onto the A40 at the Essen‑Ost junction, effectively extending the route from about 20 to roughly 40 kilometres. Local streets in Mülheim will also be used for rerouting. The closure is necessary because the road surface must be removed and later restored after the ordnance search.

The A40 is a known congestion point in the Ruhr region and is slated for a six‑lane expansion, including the reconstruction of 16 bridges, in the coming years to accommodate growing traffic volumes.