Overview
- The A44n between Jackerath and Kreuz Holz was fully closed after a wind‑turbine blade in the Bedburg A44n wind park broke, a 400‑meter safety zone was set up, and the motorway later reopened once the turbine was secured, authorities said.
- Deutsche Bahn will scale back long‑distance services from Thursday afternoon in northern and northeastern corridors, lift ticket restrictions for trips from January 8–10, and cap speeds at 200 km/h on several ICE routes to protect infrastructure.
- The German Weather Service warns that storm system Elli will bring heavy snow, strong winds and ice, and the transport minister said thousands of road crews, specialist vehicles and large salt and brine stocks are in place to keep routes passable.
- Major works at Kreuz Kaiserberg trigger rolling closures: A40 westbound January 7–12, A3 northbound January 16–19, A40 eastbound January 19–February 2, plus a rail shutdown January 9–February 6 that cancels direct Duisburg–Essen services and forces detours and replacement buses.
- Local operators report weather impacts, with bus delays and isolated cancellations on slippery roads, and police in NRW cite two crashes caused by ice sheets falling from lorries as they urge drivers to clear vehicles and use caution.