Bundesautobahn 555
Template: Infobox trunk road / Maintenance / DE -A
State:
- North Rhine -Westphalia
The Federal Highway 555 (abbreviated BAB 555 ) - Short form: Highway 555 (abbreviated as A 555 ) - is the oldest German motorway. It connects the cities of Cologne and Bonn, therefore it is also called the Cologne-Bonn highway.
History
The highway was built in the years 1929-1932 and opened on 6 August 1932 as four-lane, crossing-free 12 -meter wide road cars by the then mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer. The A555 is the first under that name opened German motorway, while about twenty years earlier planned, about eleven years earlier opened without crossing road was designated dual carriageways and two lanes in each direction in the Berlin Grunewald as automobile traffic and practice road. The cars street was half a year after the opening of the now ruling National Socialists downgraded to the road to take for himself the title as the builder of the first motorway services. Until then, the B9 was on this route. In this interval, it was the venue for the car and motorcycle races, "Cologne course", which is now held under this historic name in the context of a classic car event at the Nürburgring. This street has a police regulation was adopted shortly before the opening ceremony on August 2, 1932, which regulated that they were forbidden on this road turning, stopping and parking and that only vehicles allowed to use the road. The project was initiated by Konrad Adenauer, who at Cologne greenbelt was looking for a follow-up project to create jobs for the Cologne area after completion of work. Responsible the provincial administration of the Rhine Province was in Dusseldorf at the Governor John Horion from Sinnersdorf near Cologne. The tender for the project was explicitly pointed out that excavators and other large appliances are not allowed. A total of 5540 emergency workers were mediated by the local labor office for this emergency work. In addition there was also grants the Reich government in Berlin.
Formal was the " crossing-free motor vehicle road " ( the official designation ) until April 1, 1958 a highway; only then was the promotion on a motorway. The classification as a country road goes back to the Nazis. In this context it should be mentioned that the Nazis claimed that highways " unique in the world " and " that have become concrete will of man " were. Hombach and Telgenbüscher point out, however, that since 1924 the first pure highway Milan associate with the Northern Italian lakes. Both write also in regard to the autobahns in general and the Reichsautobahn Cologne -Bonn in particular: "To the quick way to sell demnoch as own idea, gradually, the National Socialists, the 18 kilometer-long route between Bonn and Cologne summarily as highway back. "
By 1964, the first 2 km of highway were south of the distributor Köln-Süd in the green belt three separate carriageways: counterclockwise one just for vehicle traffic to the south, one for all vehicles, carts and pedestrians to and from Godorf that through a tunnel was associated with today's L186, and a third lane for motorized traffic from the south. There was until 1964 only a single Ausfahrt-/Einfahrtmöglichkeit in Wesseling.
Until its extension to three strips in each direction between 1964-1966 ( zoning decision of 6 April 1964) they had no physical separation of the carriageways. The two lanes were separated only by a wide Highlighted median strip. Each is a large roundabout at the beginning and end. The road was designed for speeds up to 120 km / h, which were then achieved only by very few motor vehicles. For the inauguration by Konrad Adenauer on August 6, 1932, the ADAC had organized a rally to Cologne roundabout. Those who wanted to attend the opening drive, had to pay 5 Reichsmark. 2000 drivers took part. The normal traffic was permitted until August 8. The course was well received. In the first year about 4,000 vehicles daily drove on the road. Today there are more than 100,000. By 1974, the highway was known as the A 72 Since June 1974, the systematic numbering of all highways in one-, two - and three-digit numbers for nationwide, statewide and regional connections and even numbers for east-west and odd for north-south route was changed, received the Cologne-Bonn and an odd three-digit number.
Multiple the A 555 was used for testing purposes: In the 1930s, different types of lamps were installed to test different models in terms of glare for motorists. In the 1990s, a field trial for the automatic collection of highway user fees ( tolls ) was performed on the A 555.
By the end of November 2009, the track was illuminated on a six- kilometer section between Godorf and Wesseling. After the 600 lights, which were fastened to poles 170, would have been required for reasons of age of an exchange, the plant was first tentatively, then finally shut down, and finally dismantled in January 2014
Today's figure
The A555 runs between the roundabout Cologne ( coll: Bonner distributor or South - distribution ) and distribution circuit Bonn ( coll: Cologne distributor, North junction or Bonner egg; official: Potsdamer Platz). Takes you past the places in Cologne Rondorf, Hahnwald and Godorf. After about Wesseling and Bornheim to Bonn. Today it is connected via the interchanges Cologne and Bonn South North to the motorway network. Its course is relatively flat and in comparison to other motorways in the area very straight. Which tempts it to go fast. The only notable curve at Wesseling has a significant bank. Until 2004, it had, apart from brake judges at the ends, had no speed limit. Since then, the possibility for fast driving through a noise protection conditional speed limit at Bonn-Tannenbusch/Buschdorf and Wesseling is significantly restricted.
Initially, they should be out in the 1960s as the city of Cologne motorway to the Town, there to be connected to a dedicated today as a county road four section of the A 57.
Between Wesseling and Bornheim is located in the area of the forest " Eichkamp " a former rest stop, the name " In Eichkamp " wore. Today is located on the grounds of a road safety center of the TÜV Rheinland. The carriageway Bonn is connected to the present day to the terrain. In the opposite direction, however, a continuous guard rail was installed. Also, field tests for truck tolls were partially performed on the service area site.
2003 new junction Bornheim ( Rheinland) was built and opened in order in connection with several ring roads, the road network in Bonn West (especially the through-roads of Duisdorf, Lessenich / Meßdorf and Dransdorf ) to relieve and to prevent the promontory of Bornheim and Alfter to the motorway.
Since the end of 2007 will be held on the old toll - test section, a new field trial with the next generation of toll collection systems instead. The structures are much smaller, but it has become larger image acquisition.
On average, it is used daily by 71,000 vehicles, on weekdays there are an average of 80,500 per day.
Diplomats racecourse
In the Cologne area, the A 555 is provided to today surnamed diplomats Racetrack: Since there were no speed limits at the time of the Bonn Republic on the A 555, were government officials who lived in Cologne, arrive at high speeds to work in the former German capital Bonn. In addition to foreign diplomats and state visitors have traveled in their visits to the former capital of Bonn and its saloons the way to Cologne and back at full speed. Was favored the emergence of this nickname, due to the high engine power, government vehicles and the low percentage of trucks on the city pair.
In Bonn, the term diplomatic race track is also used for the B 9, which linked the former government district with the city center on one side and the diplomats town of Bad Godesberg to the other side.
Art on the highway
The artist Lutz Fritsch on 12 and 13 September 2008 respectively installed at the ends of the highway, a red steel stele to bring Bonn and Cologne in an artistic dialogue. The stele at the Cologne traffic circle was on the 12th, established the stele at Potsdamer Platz in Bonn on 13 September 2008. They are each 50 meters high, 48 tons and have a diameter of 90 centimeters.