Autobahn
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- This article is about the German, Austrian and Swiss road system. For the Kraftwerk album, see Autobahn (album).
Image:Zeichen 330.svg Image:AutobahnCH.svg
Autobahn (pronounced Template:IPA in IPA) is the German word for a major high-speed road confined to motor vehicles and having full control of access, similar to a motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries.
In German-speaking countries it usually refers to the German Autobahn specifically. German autobahns have no general speed limit (though about 50% of the total length is subject to local and/or conditional limits), but the "recommended speed" is 130 km/h (80 mph). Austrian and Swiss autobahns have general speed limits of 130 km/h 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", and the plural is almost always autobahns. The official name of the Autobahn in Germany is Bundesautobahn (BAB) (federal motorway).
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Construction
Germany
Similar to such freeways in other countries, autobahns have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a central barrier with grade-separated junctions and access restricted to certain types of motor vehicles only. The first German Autobahn was completed in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn <ref> German Myth 8 Hitler and the Autobahn german.about.com</ref>. Each carriageway was flanked by bankettes about 60 cm (2 ft) in width, constructed of varying materials; right-hand bankettes on many autobahns were later retrofitted to 120 cm (4 ft) in width when it was realized cars needed the additional space to pull off the autobahn safely. In the postwar years, a thicker asphaltic concrete cross-section with full paved hard shoulders came into general use. The top design speed was approximately 160 km/h (100 mph) 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 speeds on curves of about 150 km/h (95 mph). Image:Bundesautobahn 8 number.svg The current autobahn numbering system in use in Germany was introduced in 1974. All autobahns are named by using the capital letter "A" followed by a blank 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. Some roads may not be as easily distinguished as strictly either as it would be, for example, in the United States whose major roads follow routes that are clearly horizontal or vertical when viewed on a conventional map. 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:
- A 10 to A 19 are in eastern Germany (Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, parts of Saxony and Brandenburg)
- A 20 to A 29 in northern and northeastern Germany
- A 30 to A 39 in Lower Saxony (northwestern Germany)
- A 40 to A 49 in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
- A 50 to A 59 also in the Rhine-Ruhr Area
- A 60 to A 69 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse
- A 70 to A 79 in Thuringia, northern Bavaria and parts of Saxony
- A 80 to A 89 in Baden-Württemberg
- A 90 to A 99 in (southern) Bavaria
There are also very short autobahns of just local importance (e.g. beltways or the A 555 from Cologne to Bonn) that usually have three numbers the first one of which is similar to the system above, depending on the region.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, it is impractical to navigate using the autobahn numbers; instead it is useful to steer towards the biggest city that lies in the intended target region; this is because traffic signs display the city names much more prominently than in Germany. Another specialty is that in Switzerland the exit gateways appear much more often than in other countries.
History
Germany
Image:Old Autobahn DE.jpg Image:Swiss Autobahn Sign.jpg 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.
Just days after the 1933 Nazi takeover, Adolf Hitler enthusiastically embraced an ambitious autobahn construction project and appointed Fritz Todt the Inspector General of German Road Construction. Soon, over 100,000 laborers worked at construction sites all over Germany. As well as providing employment and improved infrastructure, necessary for economic recovery efforts, the project was also a great success for propaganda purposes. In retrospect, one can say another aim of the autobahn project, beyond creating national unity and strengthening centralized rule, was to provide mobility for the movement of military forces (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.
During World War II, the central reservation of some autobahns were paved to allow their conversion into auxiliary airports. Aircraft were either stashed 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 autobahnen could not be used by tanks as their weight and caterpillar tracks tore up the roads' delicate surfaces. 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. Furthermore, 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.
The autobahns in East Germany (GDR) and the former German provinces of East Prussia, eastern Pomerania and Silesia in Poland and the Soviet Union after 1945 were grossly neglected in comparison to those in West Germany and Western Europe in general. They received minimal maintenance during the years of the Cold War. The speed limit on the GDR autobahns was 100 km/h (62 mph), 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
Image:Autobahn 1-999.png Image:Autbahn switzerland.png Today, Germany's autobahn network has a total length of about 11,980 km (as of January 1, 2003), third after the United States' Interstate Highway System and the National Trunk Highway System (NTHS) of the People's Republic of China.
The Swiss autobahn network has a total length of 1,638 km (as of 2000) and has, by an area of 41,290 sq km, also the highest density of 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 west-east axis. The gaps in the autobahn network are apparent in the graphic.
Germany
Many sections of Germany's autobahns are modern, containing three lanes in addition to an emergency lane. Some other sections remain in their original state, with two lanes, no emergency lane, short ramps, etc. Such a combination of the two types of autobahn can be seen on the A 9 autobahn (Munich-Berlin). Heading out from Nuremberg, the autobahn starts off as a modern, three lane + emergency lane autobahn. However, after heading into Thuringia, which was formerly part of East Germany, parts of the autobahn are no wider than two lanes and no emergency lane exists (only rare emergency bays with a telephone post in orange-yellow). Ongoing roadworks will eventually bring the entire A 9 to three-lane standard. Another large project involves the extension of the A 6 at its eastern end to connect Nürnberg/Amberg with the Czech motorway D 5 running from Rozvadov to Prague.
Switzerland
Swiss autobahns very often 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 has only emergency bays. This may be due to the improved reliability of automobiles.
Speed limits
Germany
Image:Zeichen 282.png The German autobahns are famous for being some of the few public roads in the world without blanket speed limits for cars and motorcycles. Lack of blanket speed limits does not appear to negatively impact the road safety of autobahns compared with other German roads or motorways in other countries. Perhaps this is due in part because traffic can be heavy enough to restrict speeds to little above the typical motorway speeds found elsewhere. 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 generally 100 km/h (62 mph) or 120 km/h (75 mph); construction sites have a usual speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) but may be as low as 60 km/h (37 mph) or even 40 km/h (25 mph). Certain stretches have separate, and lower, speed limits used in cases of wet lanes. A hard limit is imposed on some vehicles:
| 60 km/h (37 mph) |
|
|---|---|
| 80 km/h (50 mph) |
|
| 100 km/h (62 mph) |
|
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 (81 mph), 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). On average, about half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one third 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. Therefore, those traveling at high speeds may often encounter trucks running side-by-side at only about 80 km/h (50 mph). In theory, trucks are not allowed to overtake others unless they drive 20 km/h (12 mph) faster than whomever they are overtaking, but truck drivers are generally under pressure to arrive in time, and such laws are rarely enforced for economic and political reasons, as many trucks are from foreign countries. On most days, the right lane of a typical autobahn is crowded with trucks, and too 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.)
Modern cars easily reach well over 200 km/h (124 mph), and most large car manufacturers follow a gentlemen's agreement by artificially limiting the top speed of their cars to 250 km/h (155 mph) for safety reasons (inexperienced drivers and risk of tires failing, especially when underinflated). Yet, these limiters can easily be removed, so speeds over 300 km/h (186 mph) are not uncommon nowadays. But due to common speed limits and other traffic, such speeds are rarely attainable. Most unlimited sections of the autobahn are located in the south of Germany, where many of the large automobile production companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche and BMW reside. The A 8 at Stuttgart is one such example.
If a car or motorcycle cannot reach a minimum speed of 60 km/h (37 mph), it is not allowed to use the autobahn. This is not a high limit today, of course, but it prevents very small cars (e.g. Quads) and motorcycles (e.g. Mofas) from using autobahns. This limit is the reason why several heavy-duty trucks in Germany (e.g. for carrying tanks or cranes) have a design speed of 62 km/h (usually denoted by a round black-on-white sign with "62" on it).
Austria and Switzerland
Autobahns in Austria (130 km/h; 81 mph) and Switzerland (120 km/h; 74 mph) have normal speed limits. The minimum speed in Austria is 60 km/h (37 mph), in Switzerland 80 km/h (50 mph), since 1st January 2006 (previously 60 km/h).
Toll requirements
Germany
A recent development involves the introduction on January 1, 2005 of mandatory tolls (Mautpflicht) for heavy trucks (weighing more than 12 metric tons) while using the German autobahn system. The German government contracted with 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 Landesstraßen) 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 and 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) in order to use their respective roadways, for both passenger cars and trucks. 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. 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 have to have a Go-Box, a little white box which counts the length of the used autobahn with electrical control points. In Austria the truck toll system does not use satellites.
Traffic laws and enforcement
The German autobahn network is patrolled by unmarked police cars equipped with video cameras; this allows the enforcement of laws (such as that against driving too close to the car in front) 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 powered 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)
- Overtaking on the right 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 such cases the police will routinely stop and fine both drivers.
- It is unlawful to stop for any reason except traffic jams and being involved in an accident. This includes stopping on emergency lanes. Running out of fuel is considered preventable and is consequently fined.
- The distance to the vehicle in front (in meters) should be at least half the speed (in km/h) at all times (e.g. at least 60 meters at 120 km/h). This corresponds to a "lead time" of just under 2 seconds. As a reference: The white-and-black reflection posts to the right have a distance of 50 m to each other. 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 close.
- Contrary to popular belief, it is illegal to flash headlights or left turn signals at a car moving slowly on the left lane. However, this directive is often ignored by motorists in a hurry.
- The tires must be approved for the vehicle's top speed (if they are certified for lower speeds (i.e. cheaper than high-speed tires), the driver has to have a sticker in the cockpit reminding of the maximum speed).
References
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See also
- List of motorways in Germany
- Lists of motorways in Switzerland
- Highway
- Freeway
- Motorway
- Road transport
- Toll road
- List of German expressions in English
- Autostrada (Italy)
Film
- Reichsautobahn (documentary/b&w) by Hartmut Bitomsky (West Germany, 1986)
External links
- http://www.autobahnen.ch/ — A website with pictures, forum and routes of Swiss motorwaysde:Autobahn
de:Autobahn (Deutschland) de:Autobahn (Schweiz) fr:Autobahn nl:Autobahn ja:アウトバーン sv:Autobahn vi:Autobahn