Bundesstraße 7

B7
	Bundesstraße 7
Route information
Length	530 km (330 mi)
Major junctions
West end	Dutch border at Venlo
East end	Rochlitz near Chemnitz
Location
States	North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Thuringia, Saxony
Highway system
	Roads in Germany; Autobahns List; ; Federal List; ; State; E-roads;

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 530 km 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 1788, making it one of the oldest roads in western Germany. The stretch connecting Iserlohn and Menden was built between 1816 and 1817.

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 157 km 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.

Route / Junctions

		From Venlo
	(NL)	border crossing
		North Rhine-Westphalia
replaced by A61
	(2)	Kaldenkirchen B221 B509

	(3)	Kaldenkirchen-Süd A61 B221
		Nettetal
	(7)	Viersen A61
		Viersen
	(22)	Neersen A44
replaced by A44 A52

	(14)	Büderich A52
		Neuss
		Düsseldorf
		Düsseldorf-Oberkassel
		Theodor-Heuss Bridge
		Düsseldorf-Kennedydamm B1 B8
		Düsseldorf-Mörsenbroich B1 B8
		Düsseldorf-Düsseltal
		Düsseldorf-Grafenberg
	(18)	Mettmann A3
		Wuppertal-Vohwinkel B224
	(11)	Wuppertal-Dornap A535 B224
		Wuppertal-Elberfeld-West
		Wuppertal-Elberfeld
		Wuppertal-Barmen
		Wuppertal-Oberbarmen
	(93)	Wuppertal-Langerfeld A1
		Schwelm B483
		Ennepetal
		Gevelsberg
		Hagen B54
	(44)	Hagen-Elsey A46
replaced by A46
	(45)	Iserlohn-Letmathe B236
	(46)	Iserlohn-Oestrich B236
	(48)	Iserlohn-Seilersee B233

	(49)	Hemer A46
		Hemer
		Menden (Sauerland) B515
		Wickede-Wimbern
	(62)	Arnsberg-Neheim A46
replaced by A46

	(71)	Bestwig A46
		Bestwig
		Brilon B480 B251
		Marsberg
	(63)	Marsberg A44
		Scherfede B68 B252
		Warburg B252
		Hesse
		Calden
		Anschluss B83
		Espenau
		Vellmar
		Nieder-Vellmar
		Kassel B251 B3 B83
	(78)	Kassel-Ost 3-way interchange A7
		Kaufungen
		Helsa B451
		Hessisch Lichtenau B487
	(76)	Hessisch Lichtenau-Ost A44
	(77)	Walburg-Ost A44
		Waldkappel
		Wehretal-Oetmannshausen B27 B452
		Wichmannshausen B27 B400
		Ringgau-Datterode
		Ringgau-Netra
		Ringgau-Rittmannshausen
		Free State of Thuringia
		Ifta
		Junction B250
		Creuzburg
		Krauthausen-Deubachshof B7a
	(39a)	Eisenach-West A4
Re-routed to the A4 since 2006, in 2011 the old A4 becomes the B7
	(39b)	Eisenach-Mitte
		Karolinen Valley Bridge 260 m
	(40a)	Eisenach-Ost B84 B19
	(40b)	Wutha-Farnroda A4

		Wutha-Farnroda B88
		Gotha B247
	(13)	Erfurt-Bindersleben A71
		Erfurt B4
		Dittelstedt
		Mönchenholzhausen
	(47a)	Erfurt-Vieselbach A4
		Weimar B85
		Umpferstedt B87
		Jena B88
	(22)	Eisenberg A9
		Eisenberg
		Bad Köstritz
		Gera-Langenberg B2
	(58)	Gera A4
		Gera B2 B92
	(60)	Ronneburg A4
		Schmölln
		Altenburg B180 B93
		Free State of Saxony
		Frohburg B95
		Geithain
		Rochlitz B107 B175