The Bundesstraße 7 (abbr. B7) is a German federal highway (Bundesstraße) that stretches from the Dutch border at Venlo in the West to Rochlitz near Chemnitz in the East. It is approximately long. Because of its western origin some stretches of the B 7 are designated as "Holländische Straße" (Dutch Road), e.g., in Kassel and Calden.
History The former Reichsstraße 7 extended from Schmölln over Meerane, Glauchau, Chemnitz and Freiberg to Dresden, where it linked with the Reichsstraße 6. The former portion between Chemnitz and Dresden is now called the Bundesstraße 173.
The segment between Wuppertal and Hagen was constructed in , making it one of the oldest roads in western Germany. The stretch connecting Iserlohn and Menden was built between 1816 and .
Between Eisenach and Erfurt the B 7 follows the path of the former Via Regia. The original plan marked Dresden as he eastern terminus, however this portion was completed during the Third Reich and called the Bundesstraße 173.
New Developments In some areas the Bundesstraße 7 is replaced by Autobahns. For example, between Hagen-Hohenlimburg and the former autobahn terminus in the eastern city of Iserlohn the B 7 becomes the Bundesautobahn 46. Also, between Kassel and Eisenach the B 7 is slated to be replaced by the new Bundesautobahn 44, the first piece of which was opened at Hessisch Lichtenau was in October 2005. Environmental concerns have been raised about the project, as the autobahn is proposed to run through the national park Meißner-Kaufunger Wald.
Since August 2005 heavy transport vehicles have been banned from a stretch of the B 7. The ban applies for a year and is enforced between Kassel at the A 7 junction and Wehretal. Vehicles originating or ending in the Kassel area are exempt from the ban.
Junction lists
(14)Büderich Neuss Düsseldorf Düsseldorf-Oberkassel BRTheodor-Heuss Bridge Düsseldorf-Kennedydamm Düsseldorf-Mörsenbroich Düsseldorf-Düsseltal Düsseldorf-Grafenberg (18)Mettmann Wuppertal-Vohwinkel (11)Wuppertal-Dornap Wuppertal-Elberfeld-West Wuppertal-Elberfeld Wuppertal-Barmen Wuppertal-Oberbarmen (93)Wuppertal-Langerfeld Schwelm Ennepetal Gevelsberg Hagen (44)Hagen-Elsey replaced by (45)Iserlohn-Letmathe (46)Iserlohn-Oestrich (48)Iserlohn-Seilersee (49)Hemer Hemer Menden (Sauerland) Wickede-Wimbern (62)Arnsberg-Neheim replaced by (71)Bestwig Bestwig Brilon Marsberg (63)Marsberg Scherfede Warburg Hesse Calden Anschluss Espenau Vellmar Nieder-Vellmar Kassel (78) Kassel-Ost 3-way interchange Kaufungen Helsa (74)Helsa-West (75)Helsa-Ost (76)Hessisch-Lichtenau-West (77)Hessisch Lictenau-Mitte (78)Hessisch Lichtenau-Ost (79)Waldkappel (80)Eschwege (81)Ringgau Free State of Thuringia Ifta Junction Creuzburg Krauthausen-Deubachshof (39a)Eisenach-West Re-routed to the A4 since 2006, in 2011 the old A4 becomes the B19Replaced by Gotha (11)Erfurt-Bindersleben (7)Erfurt-Nord Erfurt Mönchenholzhausen Weimar Umpferstedt Jena (22)Eisenberg (60)Ronneburg Schmölln Altenburg Free State of Saxony Frohburg (23)Geithein Geithain Rochlitz
See also List of federal highways in Germany
External links