The German Autobahn sign
The Austrian Autobahn sign
Autobahn ( ; , plural
Autobahnen) is the
German
word for a major high-speed
road restricted to
motor vehicles capable of driving at least 60 km/h (37 mph)
and having full
control of
access, similar to a
motorway or
freeway in English-speaking countries.
In most
countries, it usually refers to the German
autobahn
specifically. The
advisory
speed limit (
Richtgeschwindigkeit) of the German
autobahn is 130 km/h (80 mph), but there is no general speed
limit.
Austrian and
Swiss autobahns have general speed
limits of 130 km/h (80 mph) and 120 km/h (75 mph),
respectively. In German, the word is pronounced as described above,
and its plural is
Autobahnen; in English, however, the
segment "auto" is typically pronounced as in other English words
such as "automobile".
The official name of the autobahn in Germany is
Bundesautobahn (BAB) (Federal Motorway).
Autobahns are built and maintained by the federal government (as
are the federal highways), thus the name "Federal Motorway". The
first were built in the 1920s, and in the 1930s the official name
was "Reichsautobahn" (freeway of the Reich).
Construction
Germany
Just like all European highways, autobahns have multiple lanes of
traffic in each direction like a dual carriage way, separated by a
central barrier with
grade-separated junctions and access
restricted to certain types of motor vehicles only.
The first road of this
kind was completed in 1931 between Cologne
and Bonn
and opened
by Konrad Adenauer (Lord Mayor of Cologne and
future Chancellor
of West
Germany
) on 6 August, 1932. This road was not yet
called
Autobahn, but instead was known as a
Kraftfahrtstraße (lit.
automobile road). The idea
was a street which had no crossings and was only to be used by cars
and motorcycles and not by pedestrians or the common horse drawn
carts. As
Adolf Hitler did not become
Chancellor until afterwards in January 1933, the claim that the
Autobahn was conceived by the
Nazi is a
myth.
Nevertheless, for a variety of reasons, the Nazi regime pressed
ahead with the construction of the Autobahn system. This created
jobs and reduced the unemployment rate. The Autobahn also possibly
served another purpose: the road connection between various regions
within Germany could make military defense and logistics much more
efficient and rapid in response.
Each Reichsautobahn carriageway was flanked by banquettes about
60 cm in width, constructed of varying materials; right-hand
banquettes on many autobahns were later retrofitted to 120 cm
in width when it was realized cars needed the additional space to
pull off the autobahn safely. In the postwar years, a thicker
asphalt concrete cross-section with full paved hard shoulders came
into general use. The maximum design speed was approximately
80 km/h in flat country but lower design speeds could be used
in hilly or mountainous terrain. A flat-country autobahn
constructed to published design standards in use during the Nazi
period could support hands-off (banking of the roadway where the
car would track straight, despite the curvature of the road) speeds
on curves of about 40 km/h.
The number sign for the A 8 |
Pattern of autobahns 10 to 999
The current
Bundesautobahn
numbering system was introduced in West Germany in 1974. After
the reunification of East and West
Germany in 1990, the
Deutsche Einheit
Fernstraßenplanungs- und -bau GmbH (DEGES) was founded to
coordinate necessary construction work in the
new federal states.
All Autobahns are
named by using the capital letter A followed by a space and a
number (for example A 8). The
"main autobahns" going all across Germany have a single digit
number usually even-numbered for east-west routes and odd-numbered
for north-south routes; an exception being the
A
3, part of which is east-west parallel to the
A
8. Shorter autobahns that are of regional importance (e.g.
connecting two major cities or regions within Germany) have a
double digit number (e.g.
A 24,
connecting Berlin
and Hamburg
). The
system is as follows:
There are
also very short autobahns, of local importance (such as beltways, or the A
555 from Cologne to Bonn).
Their numbers usually have three digits, the first one of which is
similar to the system above, depending on the region.
History
Germany
A German autobahn in the 1930s
The original, two-lane autobahn, with
no emergency lane (Germany)
Typical section of modern autobahn
near an exchange, with overhead direction signs.
The idea
for the construction of the autobahn was first conceived during the
days of the Weimar
Republic
, but apart
from the AVUS
in Berlin,
construction was slow, and most projected sections did not progress
much beyond the planning stage due to economic problems and a lack
of political support. One project was the private initiative
HaFraBa which planned a "car-only road" (the name
autobahn was created in 1929) crossing Germany from
Hamburg in the North
via central Frankfurt am
Main
to Basel
in Switzerland
. Parts of the HaFraBa were completed in the
1930s and early 1940s, but construction eventually was halted by
World War II.
Upon assuming power in January 1933,
Adolf
Hitler enthusiastically embraced an ambitious autobahn
construction project. On 27 June 1933, the Reich government
(Reichsregierung) enacted the "Law on the Establishment of
a 'Reichsautobahn' Enterprise"
(Gesetz über die Errichtung
eines Unternehmens "Reichsautobahnen"). In accordance with
Section 5 of this law, Hitler appointed
Fritz
Todt as Inspector General of German Roads
(Generalinspektor
für das deutsche Straßenwesen). Soon, over 100,000 laborers
worked at construction sites all over Germany. Sections 1 and 5 of
the same law assigned responsibility for the oversight of the
"Reichsautobahn" enterprise to the German railway company, the
Deutsche
Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG). However, this arrangement
was terminated on 23 January 1935 by a decree transferring control
of the enterprise to Todt, on the grounds that the DRG had not
given the necessary priority to the project.
As well as
providing employment
and improved infrastructure, necessary for economic recovery
efforts, the project was also a great success for propaganda
purposes. It has been said that another aim of the autobahn
project, beyond creating national unity and strengthening
centralized rule, was to provide mobility for the movement of
military forces. This, however, overlooks the fact that gradients
on autobahns built before the war were far too steep for the goods
vehicles of the time . The autobahn's main purpose, then, was to
enable a large proportion of the population to drive long distances
in their own cars, enjoying the countryside along the way.
This
explains some of the autobahn's routing (as at Irschenberg on the
A
8 from Munich
to Salzburg
) which offers spectacular views but is impractical
for today's heavy goods traffic (see Nazi architecture).
The
autobahns formed the first limited-access, high-speed road network
in the world, with the first section from Frankfurt am
Main to Darmstadt
opening in 1935. This straight section was
used for high speed record attempts by the
Grand Prix racing teams of
Mercedes-Benz and
Auto
Union until a fatal accident involving popular German race
driver
Bernd Rosemeyer in early
1938.
A
similar high speed section was built between Dessau
and Halle
.
During
World War II, the central
reservation of some autobahns were paved to allow their conversion
into auxiliary airports. Aircraft were either concealed in numerous
tunnels or camouflaged in nearby woods. However, for the most part,
the autobahns were not militarily significant. Motor vehicles could
not carry goods as quickly or in as much bulk as trains could, and
the autobahns could not be used by
tanks as
their weight and
caterpillar
tracks tore up the roads' delicate surfaces. Furthermore, the
general shortage of gasoline which Germany experienced during much
of the war, as well as the relatively low number of trucks and
motor vehicles badly needed for direct support of military
operations, further decreased the attractiveness of autobahns for
significant transport. As a result, most military and economic
freight continued to be carried by rail. After the war, numerous
sections of the autobahns were in bad shape, severely damaged by
heavy Allied bombing and military demolition. As well, thousands of
kilometers of autobahns remained unfinished, their construction
brought to a halt by 1943 due to the increasing demands of the war
effort.
In
West
Germany, following the war, most existing autobahns were
soon repaired. During the 1950s, the West German government
restarted the construction program; it continuously invested in new
sections and in improvements to older ones. The finishing of the
incomplete sections took longer, with some stretches being opened
to traffic only in the 1980s. Some sections cut by the
Iron Curtain in 1945 were only completed after
German reunification in 1990.
Finally, certain sections were never completed, as more
advantageous routes were found. Some of these sections stretch
across the landscape forming a unique type of
modern ruin, often easily visible on
satellite photographs.
Swiss autobahn signs have a green
background instead of a blue one (Germany, Austria)
The
autobahns in East
Germany
(GDR) and the former German provinces of East Prussia in the Soviet Union
, eastern Pomerania and
Silesia in Poland
, were
grossly neglected after 1945 in comparison to those in West Germany
and Western Europe in general. They received minimal
maintenance during the years of the
Cold
War. In many places only one side of the carriageway was
driveable, while the other side hardly received any maintenance at
all. The speed limit on the GDR autobahns was 100 km/h,
however lower speed limits were frequently encountered due to the
poor condition of the road surface, changing quickly in some
instances. The speed limits on the GDR autobahns were rigorously
enforced by the
Volkspolizei, whose
patrol cars were frequently encountered hiding under camouflage
waiting for speeders. In the 1970s and 80s, the West German
government paid millions of
Deutsche
Marks to the GDR for construction and maintenance of the
transit autobahns between West Germany and
West Berlin, although there were indications
that the GDR diverted some of the earmarked maintenance funds for
other purposes.
Switzerland
A short
stretch of autobahn around the Lucerne
area in 1955 created Switzerland's first autobahn. For Expo 1964, an autobahn was built between
Lausanne
and Geneva
.
The
Bern
-Lenzburg
route was inaugurated in 1967.
Current density
Map of the German autobahn
network
Germany
Today,
Germany's autobahn network has a total length of about
12,200 km (in 2005), which ranks as the third-longest in the
world behind the Interstate
Highway System of the United States
and the National Trunk Highway System
(NTHS) of the People's Republic of China
. Most sections of older German autobahns
have been modernized and today a large amount of them (roughly a
third) contain three lanes or more in addition to an emergency
lane.
Switzerland
Map of the Swiss autobahn
network
Map of the Austrian autobahn and
Schnellstraßen network
The Swiss autobahn network has a total length of 1,638 km (as
of 2000) and, by an area of 41,290 km
2, one of the
highest
highway densities in the world. The
Swiss autobahn network has not yet been completed; priority has
been given to the most important routes, especially the north-south
and the east-west axes. The gaps in the autobahn network are
apparent in the graphic. Swiss autobahns usually have an emergency
lane, except in tunnels. Some newly built autobahn sections, like
the lone section crossing the
Jura
region in the north-western part of Switzerland, only have
emergency bays.
Austria
The Austrian autobahn network has a total length of 1,699 km
(2007), and the expressway (Schnellstraßen) system has a total
length of 396 km. Expressways are very similar to the
Autobahnen; the chief difference is that they are more cheaply
built with smaller curve radius and fewer bridges and
tunnels.
Speed limits
A hard limit is imposed on some vehicles:
| 60 km/h |
Buses carrying standing passengers (except in
Switzerland)Motorcycles pulling trailers (in Switzerland:
80 km/h) |
| 80 km/h |
Vehicles with a gross weight rating (GWR) exceeding 3.5 t
(except passenger cars)Passenger cars and trucks with
trailers;Buses or Coaches (in Switzerland: 120 km/h) |
| 100 km/h |
Buses or Coaches certified for 100 km/h not pulling
trailersPassenger cars with trailer and stabilizing coupling |
Germany
The "derestriction" sign lifts all
restrictions (on passing, speed limits, etc.) except blanket
ones.
These include speed limits of 120 km/h in Switzerland and 130
km/h in Austria; Germany is the only European country with no
general speed limit.
On German roads off the Autobahn, this sign imposes a 100 km/h
speed limit.
The German autobahns are famous for being some of the few public
roads in the world without blanket
speed
limits for cars and motorcycles. Certainly, speed limits do
apply at junctions and other danger points, like sections under
construction or in need of repair. Speed limits at non-construction
sites are typically 100 km/h, 120 km/h, or 130 km/h,
on the A2 are also parts with a 140 km/h speed limit.
Construction sites have a usual speed limit of 80 km/h but may
be as low as 60 km/h. Certain stretches have separate, and
lower, speed limits used in cases of wet lanes. These stretches
often feature an electronic speed limit signal that utilises
monitors mounted above the roadway. For example, if weather
conditions worsen on a stretch of autobahn, the monitors above the
roadway may signal a temporary speed limit. In any case, it is
important to note that an
advisory
speed limit (German:
Richtgeschwindigkeit) of up to
130 km/h always applies. In case of an accident while driving
faster, a court can decide on shared liability due to the increased
operational risk.
Some limits were imposed to reduce pollution and noise. Limits can
also be put into place temporarily through dynamic traffic guidance
systems that display the according traffic signs. If there is no
speed limit, the recommended speed limit is 130 km/h, referred
to in German as the
Richtgeschwindigkeit; this speed
is not a binding limit, but being involved in an accident at higher
speeds can lead to being deemed at least partially responsible due
to "increased operating danger" (
Erhöhte Betriebsgefahr).
According to a 1995 study, the average speed traveled on German
autobahns was 134 km/h. On average, about three quarters of
the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit,
about one quarter has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts
have a temporary limit for a number of reasons.
In places without a general limit, there are mostly also no
restrictions on overtaking, except for the
Rechtsfahrgebot, a rule that requires
drivers to use the right lane if possible and only pass other cars
on their left, except when heavy traffic does not permit this.
Therefore, those traveling at high speeds may regularly encounter
trucks running side-by-side at only about 80 km/h. In theory,
trucks are not allowed to overtake others unless they drive
20 km/h faster than whomever they are overtaking, but truck
drivers are generally ignoring this rule and it is not effectively
enforced. The right lane of a typical autobahn is often crowded
with trucks, and often, trucks pull out to overtake. Due to size
and speed this is often referred to as 'Elefantenrennen' (Elephant
Race). In some zones with only two lanes in both directions there
is no speed limit, but a special overtaking restriction for trucks
and/or cars pulling trailers. (An exception is Sundays, on which
trucks usually are not allowed to drive, except for trucks with
perishable goods and certain other exceptions.)
Most large manufacturers of luxury cars follow a
gentlemen's agreement by
technically limiting the top speed of their cars to 250 km/h
for safety reasons (inexperienced drivers and risk of
tire failure, especially when underinflated). Yet,
these limiters can easily be removed on request at the relevant
manufacturer's dealership with an electronic diagnosis device, so
speeds exceeding 300 km/h are not unheard of, although due to
other
traffic, such speeds are rarely
attainable.
Vehicles unable to attain speeds in excess of 60 km/h are not
allowed to use the autobahn. Though this limit is not high for most
modern vehicles, it prevents very small cars (e.g.
Quads) and motor-scooters (e.g. mopeds)
from using autobahns. To comply with this limit, several heavy-duty
trucks (e.g. for carrying heavy equipment) have a design speed of
62 km/h (usually denoted by a round
black-on-white sign with "62" on it).
Accident evaluation
The overall
safety
record of German autobahns is generally better than that of
other European highways . German autobahn fatality rates are lower
than Austria's and higher than Switzerland's rates. Highways are
safer than other road types, as documented below.
| Rate = Killed per 1 Billion Veh·km |
|
Autobahn |
Other Roads |
Total |
Autobahn |
Other Roads |
Total |
Autobahn |
| YEAR |
Fatalities |
Fatalities |
Fatalities |
Death Rate |
Death Rate |
Death Rate |
(% of Road Travel) |
| 1970 |
945 |
18,248 |
19,193 |
27.0 |
84.5 |
76.5 |
14 |
| 1980 |
804 |
12,237 |
13,041 |
10.0 |
42.6 |
35.4 |
22 |
| 1985 |
669 |
7,731 |
8,400 |
7.1 |
26.7 |
21.9 |
25 |
| 1990 |
936 |
6,970 |
7,906 |
6.9 |
19.8 |
16.2 |
28 |
| 1995 |
978 |
8,476 |
9,454 |
5.5 |
19.0 |
15.1 |
29 |
| 2000 |
907 |
6,596 |
7,503 |
4.5 |
14.3 |
11.3 |
31 |
| 2005 |
662 |
4,699 |
5,361 |
3.0 |
10.0 |
7.8 |
31 |
A 2005 study by the German Federal Interior Ministry
(
Bundesministerium des Innern) indicated that Autobahn
sections with unrestricted speed have the same accident record as
sections with speed limits. The only identifiable source of traffic
risks in connection with speeding have been high-powered light
trucks that came up within the last 15 years and as they are used
by courier services (e.g.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and trucks
alike). Over the years they were only capable of speeds comparable
to heavy duty trucks, but since manufacturers began to build in
significantly more powerful
engines they
attain speeds of up to 180 km/h. This led to a significant
portion of fatal accidents being caused by such vehicles due to the
driver overestimating his or the car's ability to cope with sudden
and heavy braking, side-winds, etc.
Public debate
Since the mid-1980s, when environmental issues gained importance
and recognition among lawmakers, interest groups and the general
public, there has been an ongoing debate on whether or not a
general speed limit should be imposed for all Autobahns. A car's
fuel consumption increases with speed, and fuel conservation is a
key factor in reducing air pollution. Safety issues have been cited
as well with regards to speed-related fatalities. Those opposed to
a general speed limit maintain that such regulation is unnecessary
because only two percent of all roads in Germany would be affected
and because better fuel economy even at high speeds has been
achieved in most modern cars. Moreover, international accident
statistics demonstrate that
Autobahn-like roads have a vastly
superior safety record, regardless of speed limit. Another
reason is that German cars have a long heritage of being some of
the safest in the world, and that the high-speed image projected by
German car makers is an important marketing tool, and so the car
lobby (
VDA,
AVD,
ADAC,
Porsche,
Mercedes-Benz,
Audi,
BMW,
Volkswagen and
Opel, among others) is against a speed
limit.
In the discussion about such plans during his political term of
office, the former
Bundeskanzler
Gerhard Schröder called
Germany an "
Autofahrernation" (
a nation of
drivers) to point out the fact that a speed limit would not be
regarded positively by the public. In various polls, it is
indicated that the German public is generally against a hard speed
limit on the Autobahn .
Over twenty years after the beginning of this debate, there are
still no definite plans by the German government concerning such a
speed limit. In October 2007, at a party congress held by the
SPD, one of
Germany's governing parties, delegates narrowly approved a proposal
to introduce a blanket speed limit of 130 km/h (80 mph) on all
German Autobahns . While this initiative is primarily a part of the
SPD's general strategic outline for the near future and according
to practices not necessarily meant to affect immediate government
policy, the proposal stirred up a renewed debate about the pros and
cons of such a measure; Germany's chancellor
Angela Merkel and leading cabinet members have
expressed outspoken disapproval.
Toll requirements
Germany
A recent development involves the introduction of mandatory tolls
(Mautpflicht) for heavy trucks (weighing 12 t or more) on
January 1, 2005. The German government contracted a private
company,
Toll Collect GmbH to
operate the toll collection system, which involves the use of
vehicle-mounted transponders and roadway-mounted sensors installed
throughout Germany. The introduction of this system experienced
several technical delays resulting in the loss of millions of
Euros in potential revenue to the government.
One result of the new toll policy has been an increase in heavy
truck traffic on regular highways (
Bundesstraßen and
Landstraßen) in order to avoid paying tolls. There have
been recent discussions about extending the toll requirement to
include passenger cars, however this has proven so far to be very
unpopular with a majority of the public. Politicians of the major
parties have denied they are considering such measures.
Austria and Switzerland
Both the Swiss and Austrian autobahn systems require the purchase
of a
vignette (toll sticker) for
passenger cars in order to use their respective roadways.But there
is also the possibility of some routes where you have to pay an
extra toll in case of more expensive cost of preservation by the
autobahn-company (e.g. tunnels or high alpine autobahns).The Swiss
vignette is offered only as an annual toll sticker, while the
Austrians offer their vignettes in varying lengths of validity (10
days, 2 months or a year).
Since 2005 trucks travelling on Austrian autobahns are required to
have a Go-Box, a small white box which counts the length of the
used autobahn with electrical control points. The Go-Box is queried
by overhead
DSRC microwave radio
transceivers at each exit. As only trucks need to carry a Go-Box,
overhead 3-D infrared laser scanners are used to detect and
photograph trucks without Go-Box.
In Switzerland a similar system is in use, using a box called
"Tripon". Different from Austria and Germany, trucks are obligated
to pay toll (
Leistungsabhängige Schwerverkehrsabgabe
(LSVA) (
Power-dependent heavy traffic toll)) for
every use of Swiss roads (also on regular highways and local
roads).
Traffic laws and enforcement
The German autobahn network is patrolled by the
Autobahnpolizei (Autobahn police) in
marked and unmarked police vehicles, some equipped with video
cameras. This practice allows the enforcement of laws (
tailgating, for example) which are often viewed
in other countries as difficult to prove in court.Notable laws
include the following:
- Autobahns in Austria and Germany may only be used by motor
vehicles that are designed to achieve a maximum speed exceeding
60 km/h (Switzerland: 80 km/h).
- The right lane must be used when it is free
(Rechtsfahrgebot), and the left lane is generally intended
for passing manoeuvres only. Drivers using the left lane when the
other lanes are free may be fined by autobahn police.
- Overtaking on the right (undertaking) is forbidden, except in
traffic jams where it may be practiced with caution. The fact that
the car overtaken is illegally occupying the left-hand lane is not
an acceptable excuse. In these cases the police will routinely stop
and fine both drivers.
- Not allowing faster cars to overtake one's own car if the
traffic situation allows it (e.g. by occupying the left-hand lane
for a longer period of time) may be considered coercion.
- In case of a traffic jam, the drivers must form an emergency
lane to ensure emergency services can reach the scene of a possible
accident. This lane must be formed between the left lane and the
lane next to the left lane (i.e., between the two leftmost
lanes).
- It is unlawful for a driver to stop his or her vehicle on the
road for any reason except in an emergency or situations where
stopping is unavoidable, such as being involved in a collision.
This includes stopping on emergency lanes. The law also applies if
a vehicle runs out of fuel when the incidence could have been
prevented.
- It is also unlawful to turn around or back up on the Autobahn
under any circumstances. Doing so is punishable under criminal
law.
- The distance between vehicles (in metres) should be at least
half the speed (in km/h) at all times (e.g. at least 60 metres at
120 km/h). This corresponds to a "lead time" of just under 2
seconds. Again, the fact that the car in front is illegally
occupying the left-hand lane when the right-hand lane is free does
not excuse following too closely. Fines for tailgating were increased in May 2006. At speeds
of over 100 km/h, keeping less than 30 percent of the
recommended distance now results in the suspension of one's driving
licence for one to three months.
- The German legal regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung)
explicitly allow drivers to honk or flash headlights shortly in
order to indicate intention of overtaking. Obtrusive behaviour of
the potentially overtaking car, such as constantly flashing
headlights or driving at insufficient distances for a longer period
of time is illegal and may be prosecuted as coercion. This may also apply to drivers not
allowing faster cars to overtake their car if the traffic situation
allows it (e.g. by occupying the left-hand lane for a longer period
of time).
- Tires must be approved for the vehicle's top speed. Tires for
lower speeds (i.e., cheaper than high-speed tires) are only allowed
if they are marked as Winter tires (M+S or M/S). In this case the
driver must have a sticker in the windshield as a reminder of the
maximum speed.
Rest areas on the Autobahn
Along the Autobahn, the drivers can stop at rest areas for fuel,
restrooms, food and beverages. In Germany, they are called
Raststätte(n), while in Austria they are known as
Raststation(en). These rest areas have restaurants serving
breakfast, lunch and dinner. They may also legally serve alcoholic
beverages. Some of the rest stops also have motels. In Germany, the
rest areas were operated by a government-owned company until 1998,
when it was privatized.
It is notable that there are rest areas along the Autobahn
approximately every 55 km, to ensure that even if a car misses a
rest area for fuel, the next one is still within reach so the car
will not run out of fuel easily. Nonetheless, it is always
recommended to refuel at the earlier rest area, because running out
of fuel on the Autobahn may result in difficult situations as well
as the driver being fined. There are currently 720 rest areas on
the whole of the Autobahn network, with an estimated 500 million
travellers stopping each year.
References
See also
External links
, parts of Saxony
and Brandenburg
)
and North Rhine-Westphalia
(northwestern Germany)
, Saarland
and Hesse
, northern Bavaria
and parts of Saxony
)
)
)
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