Host Nation Update, May 8, 2025
A 81 between Böblingen and Sindelfingen – Autobahn will be completely closed at the weekend – long traffic jams are imminent
The widening of the A 81 between the Sindelfingen-Ost and Böblingen-Hulb junctions to six lanes will once again require a full closure. This has been announced by the responsible office (Deges). The A 81 will therefore be closed from Friday, May 9, 10 p.m. to Monday, May 12, 5 a.m. along the entire stretch of the construction site. Detour have been set up. Nevertheless, drivers will have to be prepared for heavy traffic and congestion. The closure is due to various work steps that are intended to advance the expansion of the route. They are being combined – hence the closure over an entire weekend – in order to make the best possible use of the closure period.
One of the points being tackled is the temporary bridge, which will soon allow buses to cross the Autobahn again. Since the extension of the Elefantenbrückle bridge was demolished on the first weekend of Advent 2024, buses have had to take detours. Pedestrians and cyclists can already use a temporary bridge. The temporary bridge for buses is now to be delivered and installed on the weekend of the closure. However, it will be some time before it is connected to Leibnizstraße and Leipziger Straße. The plan is for the bridge to be open to traffic in July.
From May 9, the exit at the Sindelfingen-Ost junction in the direction of Stuttgart will no longer be available. Instead, the southern Böblingen-Ost junction will be connected to the network. The slip road towards Stuttgart has been closed here since October 5 for the conversion work. This has now been completed. Traffic will be routed via various detour over the weekend. From the Sindelfingen-Ost junction in the direction of Singen, the route leads via Mahdentalstraße, Neckarstraße and Calwer Straße in Sindelfingen, then via the B464 to the Böblingen-Hulb junction. From Böblingen-Sindelfingen, take Rudolf-Diesel-Straße to reach the detour route. In the direction of Stuttgart, drivers take the federal highway and the aforementioned roads in Sindelfingen in the opposite direction. The detour routes in this direction just have different names. Once all this has been completed next weekend, the next full road closure will be in place. However, this will not directly involve the highway. The Mahdentalstraße near the Sindelfingen-Ost junction will be closed because the highway bridge that crosses the road is being demolished.
It is planned that the section between the connection to the access ramp to the A 81 in the north and the junction at Goldbach in the south will not be open to traffic from Saturday, May 17, to Sunday, May 25. However, the entrance and exit on the Singen carriageway (and onwards via the L 1183 to and from Sindelfingen) and the entrance in the direction of Stuttgart (from the district road 1055) will remain open.
City, church and U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart organize a joint commemoration event on May 8.
On Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 7:00 pm, a commemoration ceremony for the 80th anniversary of the End of WWII will take place at the Böblingen City Church. Joint organizers are the “OnTop Church” of the Evangelical Parish of Böblingen, the United States Army Garrison Stuttgart and the City of Böblingen. The musical program will be performed by groups of personnel from the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart in collaboration with Cantor Eckhart Böhm. City church pastor Gerlinde Feine and Garrison Chaplain Col. David Curlin will lead the spiritual contributions. The commemorative speech will be given by Lord Mayor Dr. Stefan Belz.
The liberation of Germany from National Socialism by the Allies brought peace to Europe. The recent history of the town of Böblingen as an important base for the U.S. Forces is characterized in particular by close ties and a friendly partnership between nations that were previously enemies. Against the backdrop of increasing global trouble spots and the ongoing war in Ukraine, this joint commemoration of liberation is intended as a reminder of peace.” The event is open to the German and American community (City of BB’s PAO Office)