District road between Cleebronn and Freudental: closure for amphibian protection!

District road between Cleebronn and Freudental: closure for amphibian protection!

The K1632 between Cleebronn and Freudental, which was reopened to car traffic in April 2023 after months of closure, will again be the focus of construction work from November 3, 2023. These will be carried out on a second section in the Heilbronn district and are scheduled to last until April 30, 2026. District road 2069 will be completely closed for a total of six months, which will result in significant diversions for commuters and residents. Traffic is routed via the L1106 to Bönnigheim and via the K1680 back to the K2069 in the direction of Cleebronn.

The reasons for the construction work are both the renovation of the road and the construction of 15 amphibian tunnels, which primarily serve as safe crossing options for toads and other animals. The tunnels will be built between the Wildparadies confluence and the Ludwigsburg district border and are aimed at replacing the annual full closure of the district road in spring with new amphibian tunnels. This was necessitated in previous years by the need to ensure amphibian protection.

The importance of amphibian tunnels

Dr. Christoph Heibl, deputy head of nature conservation and research in the Grafenau National Park Administration, explains the importance of these tunnels. These culverts, located under roads, are critical to protecting amphibians such as toads, frogs and salamanders, which are often killed by car traffic. By setting up such tunnels, the long-term preservation of their stocks can be ensured. Guide walls help guide the animals specifically into the tunnels and thus avoid dangerous encounters with road traffic. The cost of installing such protective structures is low, while the positive effect on biodiversity is enormous, as toni-schuberl.de reports.

Modern road construction measures are obliged to protect the habitats and migration paths of amphibians. According to the Federal Highway Act, construction agencies must not only guarantee traffic safety, but also implement environmentally friendly solutions. These include fences and tunnels that allow the amphibians to migrate safely without crossing road traffic. These protective measures are of great importance as they also contribute to road safety for people and animals.

Current and future measures

In addition to the planned amphibian guidance facilities between the amusement park and the wildlife paradise, extensive surveys and planning are also necessary in other places to ensure the effectiveness of these measures. Preliminary investigations play a crucial role and require comprehensive data on amphibian occurrences and their habitats. The results of such surveys can help position the tunnels in appropriate proximity to each other to maximize the effectiveness of protective measures, as nabu.de highlights.

Meanwhile, the construction work at the Tripsdrill wildlife paradise, where a wellness oasis and experience gastronomy are being built, is not affected by the full closure, which is important due to the large number of visitors to this location. Despite the upcoming diversions and closures, we are pleased that these measures will not only improve the quality of the roads, but will also make an important contribution to preserving biodiversity.