Last section of the 72 freeway gets "whisper asphalt"

The last section of the Autobahn 72 between Rötha and the A38 south of Leipzig is now being fitted with so-called "whisper asphalt". This year, the open-pored asphalt will be laid on the stretch in the direction of Leipzig, according to the federal government's Autobahn GmbH. In 2027, it will be the turn of the opposite carriageway. The A72 should then be finally completed by the end of next year. It runs from Vogtland via Chemnitz to the Leipzig-Süd freeway junction.

The carriageway in the direction of Leipzig is completely closed during the asphalt work over a length of around three kilometers. Traffic will be routed across one lane at a time in the direction of Chemnitz. The Zwenkau junction in the direction of Leipzig will also be closed until mid-July.

Final completion planned for the end of 2027

The A72 is a long-term project. Many years ago, the plan was to complete the highway between Chemnitz and Leipzig for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, there have been repeated delays.

The latest target was to complete the highway by the end of this year. However, the last section runs over tipping ground. According to the information provided, the difficult subsoil of the former open-cast lignite mine made construction more difficult and necessitated repeated rest periods. And even though the construction of the A72 is now on the home straight, Autobahn GmbH believes that delays in the schedule are still possible due to the work being dependent on the weather.