Bundesautobahn 44, Motorway in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, Germany
Bundesautobahn 44 is a motorway in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse that runs from the Belgian border near Aachen to Kassel and covers around 327 kilometers. The route passes through the Ruhr region and several low mountain ranges, connecting major cities and rural areas along the way.
First sections opened in the early 1960s near Kassel and Aachen to improve postwar transport links across the country. Additional segments followed over the coming decades, with final completion delayed by engineering challenges and landscape changes.
The name comes from the federal highway system that replaced earlier road networks after 1945 and introduced unified numbering across the country. The route connects rural areas with urban centers and is used by commuters and long-distance travelers alike.
Several service areas along the route offer fuel, food, and restroom facilities for drivers. Traffic levels vary by time of day, with sections near major cities more likely to experience delays.
A section between Geseke and Büren served as an emergency landing strip for the United States Air Force during the Cold War. Near Garzweiler, the route had to be rerouted due to lignite mining, leading to extensive reconstruction work.
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