E44 / A1 Eastbound The A1 connects Luxembourg-Ville with the German border near Trier. Replacing the old N1 road, the A1 (also known as the Autoroute de Trèves) was constructed beginning in 1983 with the German/Luxembourg border area. The road was completed in 1992 and opened to traffic on June 26th of that year.
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A map of Luxembourg,
showing autoroutes and |
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This reassurance marker sits at the merge from the N51 headed east out of Luxembourg-Ville. This intersection also marks the eastern end of the autoroute beltway around the capital. | ||
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Overhead variable speed limit signs give this heavily trafficked road a paltry 90 kph speed limit. The bridge in the distance marks the future southern end of the A7 Autoroute. | ||
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Further east sits the eastern entrance to the Luxembourg Airport. This exit also connects the small town of Senningerberg to the autoroute along with the old road N1, which the A1 replaced as a major route. Note the "N" on the sign. Saarbrücken also makes an interesting control point, this is not the road to get there. Take the E29 to the south for that. | ||
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At the exit, note the "N" in N1 has dissapeared. Luxembourg seems to have a problem with consistancy when it comes to omitting or leaving in the "N" on national routes. The E-road is well signposted here. | ||
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At this point, the A1 slides under an approach to the main runway for the Luxembourg airport. The runway approach bridge makes for a huge, imposing sight. | ||
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Further east at exit 14. Note the blue control point sign now omits the road designations altogether. The secondary control city has also changed from Grevenmacher to Koblenz in Germany, while Saarbrücken makes another appearance seemingly as an afterthought. | ||
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A bit further along eastbound at exit 14. The gore points feature large green retainers and a small exit sign with "sortie" - which is French for "exit". The casual driver may think the German word for the exit would be more appropriate here due to the proximity to Germany, but they would be incorrect: a French contractor won the bid to build this road! | ||
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The verdant and rolling countryside comes into view as the A1 leaves the urban area of the capital. | ||
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A view near Mensdorf. The traffic has died down for the moment, and the green hills fill the horizon to the south. It's OK, there is a very liberal use of guardrail in this country. | ||
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A viaduct near Mensdorf. The A1 was not completed until the 1990s mostly due to the cost of building viaducts over the valleys. While the view from above is mediocre, a driver on the N1 road below gets a great vista of these overpasses. | ||
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Further east a standard blue and white sign gives notice that a new lane begins. This third lane does not last long, and serves as route for slow trucks lumbering up this large hill. | ||
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At the top of the hill an overpass, and a view of a truck/lorry making use of this extra lane. Note the red accents on the bridge. | ||
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The crest of the hill - to the east the hills of Germany and the Mosel river valley come into view. | ||
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The first border notification sign for Germany appears as a standard EU flag design with the country name in the center. Notice that the extra truck lane ends is just beyond. | ||
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Further east we find the last exit in Luxembourg for the N15. The large complex looming behind is the old border and customs facility | ||
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Imagine the waits here long ago! Thanks to the Schengen Agreement, there is no wait at the border. Simply slow down and zip through the old border checkpoint. | ||
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The complex has now been converted into a simple autoroute rest stop, with a restaurant and gas stations. | ||
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While still in Luxembourg, the standard EU speed limits sign appears giving an overview of speed laws in Germany. Note the 130 kph speed limit advised for the autobahn system - it's in a blue box rather than a red circle because it's "just a suggestion". Contrary to popular belief, there are speed limits on large strecthes of the German autobahn network. | ||
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The huge viaduct carrying traffic over the Mosel River begins, spread out below are the border towns along the river. The bridge is known as the "Viaduc de la Sûre" and opened to traffic in September of 1988. | ||
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We leave Luxembourg and enter Germany officially here at this zero kilometer marker in the center of the Viaduc de la Sûre, which is 1,195 meters long. | ||
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At the other end, Germany begins. The only sound one can hear is the gunning of car engines up to breakneck speeds.... | ||
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