Germany's Autobahn Cracks After Heat Wave Hits Europe
Temperatures of up to 39C (102F) caused the material to expand and crack open roads in various parts of the country, leading to hours-long traffic jams. With summer breaks beginning in many German states on Friday, repair works over the weekend are set to impact traffic flows further.
The phenomenon known as 'blow-ups' occurs when concrete expands and has nowhere to go, leading to sudden fractures or cracks. It mostly affects older, heavily used or previously repaired highways during high temperatures, especially ones that aren't layered with asphalt. German authorities have prepared for the event by lowering speed limits along older sections of the road during summer — a noticeable measure in the only industrialized nation without a general speed limit on highways.
Germany and the wider region have faced increasingly intense and frequent heat waves, with Europe warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s as a result of climate change. The scorching temperatures pose risks for critical infrastructure as well as human health.
While works to repair the damage in Germany have started, a highway section in the heavily-trafficked Ruhr area will be closed completely in one direction from Friday night until Monday morning to cover up remaining cracks and holes. In the western-central state of Hesse, five meters of the road were 'chiseled up and the broken pieces removed,' the local representation of Germany's highway authority said on Thursday. Workers have since replaced it with new asphalt.
While the fallout from the heat is likely to cause frustration for German drivers as they embark on their summer holidays, high temperatures have also led to more grave consequences in parts of Europe this week, with the Greek island of Crete battling wildfires that have forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate. In Spain, Italy and France, several heat-related deaths have been recorded.
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