Navigating through the road closure proves to be an odyssey for many, seeing as the N15 between Ettelbruck and Niederfeulen is closed from 8am on Thursday until 5pm on Saturday afternoon. The Bridges and Roads Authority designated a diversion which requires travellers to endure a lengthier trip.
The prescribed detour takes drivers on a rather scenic tour through northern Luxembourg. For those journeying from Ettelbruck to Heiderscheid, the detour extends the route by just under 4 kilometres and passes through Ingeldorf, Warken, Burden, Bourscheid, and Kehmen. Conversely, the trip from Heiderscheid to Ettelbruck is stretched by a whopping 14 kilometres and takes drivers through Eschdorf, Grosbous, Vichten and Bissen.
Marc Ries, head of the Diekirch Traffic Division at the Bridges and Roads Authority, shed light on the choice of route for the diversion. He explained, “When designating an official diversion, safety for all road users, including cars, lorries, camper vans, and agricultural vehicles, is paramount. Therefore, we selected roads capable of accommodating this diverse traffic.”
Ries further noted that some roads are not suitable for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes or too narrow for lorries. Although the Bridges and Roads Authority has in the past signposted separate diversions for cars and heavier vehicles, this proved impractical in this instance. Instead, the Bridges and Roads Authority is relying on the common sense of drivers who know the area.
Ries acknowledges that the official diversion may add some extra distance but emphasises that the surrounding roads remain accessible. He trusts that locals who know the area will use these alternative paths to reach their destinations efficiently.
Alternative routes include, for example, the CR350 between Warken and Niederfeulen or the route via Karelshof. As far as the works on the N15 in Niederfeulen are concerned, roadworks focus on milling off the current surface and replacing it with a new one. All in all, the project took around two years and cost €2 million. The closure of the N15 in Niederfeulen also facilitates the renewal of the N15 in Ettelbruck, from Hotel Central to the roundabout near Centre Pontalize. A local diversion is in place to guide motorists through this area.
