E421 / A7 / B7 / N7 Southbound

Construction of the A7 began in 1998, when completed around 2011 it will be the final link in Luxembourg's autoroute system. The northernmost section opened in 2000, followed by the central section south to Mersch in 2002. Construction from Mersch to the A1 began in 2002 as well.

A map of Luxembourg, showing autoroutes and
major routes, including the planned alignment of
future A7.
(Click thumbnail for a larger image)
The E421 enters Belgium as a two-lane road. The standard EU speed limit sign is displayed at the border, however there is no actual border crossing or sign. The pavement change is the only other indication the driver has entered a new country.    
The road, now also known as the N7, skirts the Belgian border for some 10km. Border indicators are well signed here. Any left turn will put you in Belgium instantly.    
Very rural, the road offers some fantastic views of the rolling countryside. This is the heartland of Luxembourg's wind power generation area, and windmills are on the top of almost every hill.    
Most directional signs in Luxembourg are yellow, and bilingual. This one comes bundled with a new 70 kph speed limit and an E421 reassurance sign. This standard town entry sign signals the beginning of the hamlet of Fischbach.    
Lane markings, as in most of Europe, are entirely white. Large white arrows signal that a passing lane is available. Rather than go directly through Fischbach, we are routed around to the east.    
Just south of Fischbach, advance signage for CR340 appears. Most directional signage in Luxembourg is kept low to the ground. Slowing traffic while at the same time lending a lazy pace to the drive.    
The turnoff for CR340 near Urspelt. The main route to the north of Luxembourg, the road is only two lanes but features guardrails and center turn lanes at most intersections.    
Through the village of Marnach, E421 features a sidewalk and is well lit. Marnach is just east of Clervaux.    
Near Marnach the countryside changes to undulating hills topped with heavy forest cover.    
The bridge carrying the N18 comes into view. N18 travels west to Clervaux, one of the larger towns in northern Luxembourg. The N18 will continue east to meet the N10, which meets the E421 about one kilometer south.    
E421 southbound at the N10 and N18. Traffic would exit here for trips to Clervaux and east to Germany's Rhineland state. Note that the N7 is completely omitted from this sign in favor of the E421. Luxembourg often gives preference to E-roads on directional signage over it's own N-roads.    
Further south, E421 meets CR342, which travels east to the German border and the river town of Roderhousen. While Dasburg sits just across the border in Germany, no indication of the international trip is shown on these directional signs.    
An old castle to Dorscheid sits atop a hill on the west side of E421.    
One of the only towns E421 passes directly through, rather than bypassing, is Horscheid. The road becomes narrow as it runs through the town. No one is out and about on this cold February day.    
A rather diagrammatical sign on the southern side of Horscheid points us south to Luxembourg-Ville. This junction at CR342 offers another quick trip to the German border, although no indication is given. If any country is good at ignoring international frontiers, it's Luxembourg. The EU agreement abolishing customs and border duties was signed here at Schengen in 1985.    
Another directional sign points the way to Wiltz, which is 19 kilometers away over heavily wooded hills. Diekirch appears here on directional signs, it is the largest community in the north of the country.    
South of Horscheid, the E421 opens up and gains occassional passing lanes and offers wider vistas of the surrounding hills. It would not be Europe in the winter if a good vista was not interrupted by a good bit of smoke.    
Near Lipperscheid, great views of the hills and valleys open up to the west.    
The first large autoroute style sign appears just north of Ettelbrück. It is very big, and very yellow. No route number is given on the advance signage, but this trumpet interchange is where our old friend the N7 leaves. Thus begins the route B2, a short super-2 expressway which fles in grand style right over the town of Ettelbrück. Basotgne in Belgium, along with Luxembourg-Ville is the southbound control city.    
The exit for Ettelbrück and Diekirch. The B7 limited access route begins at this junction, and only continues for a few miles. B-roads, formerly important in Luxembourg as expressways, have now almost all been replaced by full A-road autroutes. The viaduct ahead offers spectacular views of the surrounding valley.    
The next exit southbound on the B7 serves southern Ettelbrück and the town of Schieren. Bastogne is now replaced by Mersch as the secondary control point.    
In order to fit into the narrow valley, this exit is built into the hillside and consists of two Y-interchanges. Still a super-2, the B7 continues south past the town of Schieren.    
While still a super-2 expressway, the A7 autoroute begins here with advance signage for the next exit and the first southbound kilometer marker. Interstingly, the 25,5 kilometer marker is not the distance to the end of the existing road. It is the distance to the A1 autoroute where the A7 will end when completed in 2011. The N7 reappears here on the top of the exit tab. As the new A7 replaces the old E421 / N7 route, the follow each other closely in a parallel manner.    
Exit number 7 (they are sequentially numbered) marks the northernmost interchange of the new A7. Control points are given on overhead blue signs, while exit points are shown on large yellow signs. The icon on the blue sign points to the large Colmar-Berg industrial area - home to a large Goodyear Tires facility amongst other large businesses.    
Still only one lane in each direction, this view affords a look at an unfortunately placed and very large "wrong way" sign. The casual driver may panic for an instant thinking they are going the wrong direction. This stretch of road was upgraded from the former B7 route, and it was obviously decided that extra lanes were not necessary.    
Just north of Colmar, the road opens up with an additional lane in each direction and begins it's journey southward to full autoroute standards. This stretch of the A7 opened in 2002.    
Another view of the A7 southbound. Sound barriers and large VMS signs are common along te route.    
An A7 reassurance marker sits next to the barrier near the town of Colmar. Reassurance markers here are fairly common, as on all of Luxembourg's autoroutes.    
The next southbound exit serves the industrial area of Colmar. Views to the right hand side of the road show much of the town and the industrial factories and smokestacks common to manufacturing areas around Europe. This exit also will direct drives to the N7. Note that the E421 still follows the old N7 route rather than the new A7 route. So strongly signed further north, the E421 designation is nowhere to be found at this junction.    
The exit overpass is simple and concrete. This Colmar exit consists of a trumpet interchange and a new short road which connects to the E421 / N7 just to the west.    
Now leaving Colmar and continuing south, the A7 returns to a rural character. The sign on the right makes note of the upcoming tunnel which was built expressly for the purpose of wildlife habitat preservation and connection.    
As of February 2006, the A7 ends just south of Mersch here at CR102. In simple style, the road ends with a large red "X" over the eventual control point of Luxembourg-Ville. The A7 ends almost as abruptly as it began.    
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