Further heat damage keeps parts of Germany's A2 and A14 closed

Extreme heat continues to disrupt traffic on two of Germany's major east-west motorway corridors, even after one damaged stretch of the A2 near Burg reopened.

Closures remained in place on the A2 between Ziesar and Wollin, on a separate A2 section near Irxleben and on the A14 shortly after the Magdeburg interchange in the direction of Schwerin, according to the latest reporting.

Authorities have warned that drivers should expect long diversions, heavy congestion and delays that are not always reflected accurately in navigation apps. The damage has also forced repeated changes to the closure pattern as repairs continue.

What remains closed

The reopened section near Burg eased one part of the disruption on Sunday, June 28, but it did not clear the broader problem. The latest confirmed reporting said the A2 remained shut between Ziesar and Wollin in the direction of Berlin and Potsdam.

A separate A2 closure was also still affecting traffic near Irxleben in the direction of Berlin. On the A14, a closure remained shortly after the Magdeburg interchange in the direction of Schwerin.

That means the affected corridor is still cutting across key traffic links between Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, with drivers pushed onto regional diversion routes.

How the disruption developed

The closures began after extreme heat damaged concrete road surfaces, triggering so-called blow-ups. Police first reported the A2 closure between Ziesar and Wollin on June 25.

Later that day, Autobahn GmbH said the A2 near Burg was also closed and expected that stretch to reopen by late June 28. On June 26, the agency said repairs near Burg were progressing, while the Ziesar-Wollin section would likely stay closed until Sunday evening or Monday.

By June 27, officials said the damage was getting worse and warned that more exit ramps were being closed. They also said map apps were giving overly optimistic travel times and that drivers needed to be prepared for long waits.

Why the roads are vulnerable

Autobahn GmbH said older concrete road surfaces are especially vulnerable during periods of very high temperatures. The heat can cause sudden damage that leaves road slabs unstable and forces urgent closures.

Repair work has involved removing damaged sections and replacing them with new surface material, but the process is not instantaneous. Officials said the replacement asphalt needs time to cool before traffic can safely return.

That helps explain why closures can spread or last longer than motorists expect once the damage is discovered.

Traffic and safety impact

The closures have created long queues on the motorway and on the roads used as detours. Authorities have advised drivers to avoid the affected routes where possible and to use large-scale diversions, including via the A14 and A9.

Local roads around the diversion network have also come under pressure, with reports of heavy congestion and long delays. In one warning from local officials, drivers were told to carry water, food and medicine if travel could not be avoided.

The disruption has also created direct safety risks. At Burg, stranded drivers were helped by the German Red Cross during the closure, and a serious rear-end crash at the end of the traffic jam there on June 27 left one truck driver seriously injured.

What happens next

Authorities were expected to provide another update on Monday after the latest round of repairs and traffic changes. The remaining closures may still shift depending on how quickly crews can make the damaged sections safe.

For now, the main unresolved question is how long the A2 and A14 outages will continue and whether cooler weather will reduce the risk of additional damage on other concrete motorway sections.

Drivers using the corridor between Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt are being told to plan for disruption, follow local traffic guidance and expect congestion well beyond the closed stretches themselves.