Motorway expansion creates kilometre long queues near Aarhus

Motorists are facing lengthy queues and confusing diversions as the Road Directorate expands the E45 motorway near Aarhus, DR reported. The project covers 16 kilometres of the E45 and two kilometres of the Djursland Motorway leading to the Aarhus North motorway interchange.

The ramp towards Aalborg is currently closed to drivers arriving from Aarhus. They are instead directed south towards Tilst or, in some cases, as far as Aarhus West, 10 kilometres away, before travelling north again and joining a long queue.

Drivers travelling south have also had to continue further south and turn around to enter the motorway at Aarhus North. The Tilst exit is already under heavy pressure, while cones, barriers and signs have added to the confusion.

“The next three weeks will be really tough, and then we will switch to night work,” said project manager Robin Højen Madsen of the Road Directorate. He urged drivers to be patient and allow extra time for their journeys.

The aim of the work is to increase the motorway’s capacity by 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles a day, Madsen said.

Exits in the southbound direction reopened on Friday, 21 August, although the Road Directorate expects them to be closed intermittently. Until 10 September, access towards Aalborg from Aarhusvej and from the Djursland Motorway will remain closed. The E45 also has only one lane in the northbound direction.

The roadworks are causing queues and longer journey times, particularly during rush hour. The Road Directorate advises motorists to leave earlier, travel at other times or choose alternative routes. Traffic updates are available through P4 and the traffic service on dr.dk.

Some drivers have mistakenly entered closed lanes and then had to reverse back onto the motorway. Commuter Charlotte Troelsen said the diversions had been difficult because she travelled from the north and needed to enter at the Aarhus North interchange.

The project is part of the politically agreed Infrastructure Plan 2035, which has been allocated 2.1 billion kroner. Work near Aarhus began in April 2023 and is expected to be completed at the end of 2027. A cycle path between Søften and Aarhus opened on Friday, while noise barriers are still being installed along the motorway towards southern Aarhus.