Update from city administration regarding traffic regulations on New Year's Eve
To ensure the New Year's Eve celebration in Cologne is both joyful and as safe as possible for Cologners and guests alike, the City of Cologne plans once again to implement a series of road blocks and traffic regulations for the Cathedral area, the bridges, and certain party zones.
The Zoo Bridge, the Hohenzollern Bridge, the Deutz Bridge, and the Severins Bridge will be particularly affected by these planned closures. These bridges will be subject to a time-controlled locking mechanism, which applies individually to pedestrian, bicycle, railway and motor vehicle traffic. In addition, restrictions are also provided for the Rheinufer, the rings, and the Zülpicher district, depending on traffic volumes.
Details of the individual regulations follow:
Deutz Bridge
The Deutz Bridge is particularly popular with revellers. For safety reasons, it will be locked in both directions for motor vehicles from around 8pm. The Deutz Bridge traffic lanes will be reopened by the Cologne waste management companies immediately after completion of the cleaning work. During cleaning, access may be partially restricted for pedestrians and cyclists.
Hohenzollern Bridge
The foot and cycle paths on Hohenzollern Bridge will be closed from 4pm both on the southern and northern sides.
Severins Bridge
On the Severins Bridge, dangerous situations have arisen in previous years as a result of pedestrians crossing the road and tracks. This resulted in complete closures of the bridge to vehicle and rail traffic. For this reason, the Severins Bridge is expected to be closed in the direction of the city center from around 10pm. After the cleaning work has been completed by the waste management companies, the road will be reopened to vehicle traffic. The southern side of the bridge remains open to vehicle traffic in the direction of Deutz. However, the foot and cycle path on the southern bridge side (direction Deutz) will be closed from 10pm. There may also be partially restricted access between 12:30am and 2am while the cleaning teams from the waste management companies are working.
Zoo Bridge
The Zoo Bridge will be closed for cycle and pedestrian traffic in both directions from 10pm.
Mülheim Bridge
The Mülheim Bridge remains unaffected by any restrictions.
South Bridge
The railway bridge will be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. Based on previous experience, a large number of spectators can be expected between 11pm and 12:30am.
Cathedral area
Due to the establishment of the "firecracker-free zone" around the Cathedral, the Cathedral area will be subject to road closures. The closures for motor vehicle traffic apply to the following roads: Komödienstraße, Trankgasse, An den Dominikanern, Stolkgasse, Marzellenstraße, Domprobst-Ketzer-Straße, Burgmauer, Am Domhof, Am Hof, Sporergasse, Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz, Kleine Budengasse and Unter Goldschmied (north of Kleine Budengasse). Access to and from the car parks will not be restricted. In addition, stopping restrictions will be in effect in the following streets: Komödienstraße, Dominican, Stolkasse, Domprobst-Heretic Street, Burgmauer, Am Hof and Untergoldschmied. Stopping restrictions will apply from 6am on 31st December 2016 to 6am on 1st January 2017.
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer
In the event of a rush of a high volume of spectators, the Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer will be closed to the north between the Filzengraben and the Bastei.
Hohenzollernring
The Hohenzollernring will be completely closed between Rudolfplatz and Friesenplatz. If necessary, closures will be extended beyond this range.
Zülpicher district
Streets in the Zülpicher district will be closed as required. Particularly affected will be Zülpicher Strasse as well as parts of Barbarossaplatz, Roonstraße, Hohenstaufenring and Dasselstraße.
Rheinboulevard/outside staircase
The city will host a Bengali firework display on the outside staircase of the Rheinboulevard in Deutz. The stairs remain closed to visitors for this reason. The actual boulevard itself is open to visitors and the bastions on both sides will be accessible.
Residents can access information about all closures on the city website: www.stadt-koeln.de. In addition, the traffic control center of the City of Cologne announces current bulletins related to closures on the variable message signs, which are located on the major access roads in Cologne.