Germany’s roads show major weaknesses as heatwaves damage highways and disrupt travel. Soaring European temperatures cause concrete to crack, asphalt to deform, lanes close quickly.
Early July, seven highway sections were entirely closed due to extreme heat damage.
Bitumen softens under high heat, causing deformation, warns Autobahn GmbH’s latest report. Engineering expert Nina Stelzenmüller stresses roads were not built for future climate conditions.
Pilot projects test quartzite and reflective materials to reduce surface heat in several regions. Experts urge government regulation as research-to-policy implementation remains painfully slow nationwide.