Relief for the surrounding area: Full closure of the B88 in Jena North ends on 30 November
As part of the major redevelopment of Naumburger Straße in Jena North, the full closure of the B88 at the outskirts of Jena is due to end on Tuesday, 1 December 2026, as planned. Jena’s Head of Urban Development, Dirk Lange, announced this yesterday evening (4 November 2026) at a meeting of the Zwätzen District Council, which also served as a public residents’ meeting.
Construction work in Jena-Nord will continue uninterrupted. However, it will in future be possible to bypass the roadworks via Carl-Orff-Straße. At the northern junction with Carl-Orff-Straße, a short section will remain closed on one side until the dual carriageway is completed. Traffic is being controlled by traffic lights at this point. The route remains closed to heavy goods vehicles.
This means that the diversion via Golmsdorf is no longer necessary, and traffic volumes in the affected villages should return to normal levels. The current traffic light system in Golmsdorf will remain in place for a short transitional period.
“The end of the full closure is good news for everyone who travels between Jena and the surrounding area on a daily basis. Commuters in particular will benefit from this. At the same time, the new diversion will mean additional traffic for residents of Carl-Orff-Straße. I ask for your understanding in this matter and thank those affected for their patience. The end of the full closure marks an important step forward, even though the construction work will continue to cause some disruption.”
Current status of the construction project
Construction work on the comprehensive upgrade of Naumburger Straße and the extension of the tram line to Himmelreich has been underway since March this year. The first phase of construction covers the section between the outskirts of Jena and the southern junction with Carl-Orff-Straße. In order to lift the full closure as quickly as possible, the focus of the work has so far been on the section up to the northern junction with Carl-Orff-Straße. Important work has already been completed there, including ground levelling, road drainage and the relocation of utility lines. The first tracks have been laid for the future tram route. Kerb stones are currently being installed, and the road surface is due to be fully asphalted to complete the work.
Once the road reopens to traffic at the end of November, work will continue seamlessly. In the northern section, the future Himmelreich tram terminus, including a service building and car parks, is still to be constructed. The landscaping of the outdoor areas is also still to be carried out.
At the same time, work is continuing on the southern section. There, ground levelling has already been completed, the road drainage system has been installed and the necessary light-liquid separators have been fitted. In the coming months, track and road construction, as well as the creation of footpaths and cycle paths, are on the agenda. Work there is expected to be completed by the end of September 2027. The next construction phase will then extend from the southern junction of Carl-Orff-Straße to Juri-Gagarin-Straße.
So far, the construction work in Jena-Nord has proved more challenging than expected: the ground was less stable than anticipated and therefore had to be stabilised with lime. Furthermore, water from deeper soil layers hampered the work. Additional drainage pipes, sheet piling and the pumping out of water were necessary. The differences in ground level also make the drainage of rainwater a complex task. Nevertheless, the plan to lift the full closure of the B88 by the end of November can be met.
Wide-ranging diversion remains in place
Even after the full closure ends, the official diversion for the B88 will continue to be extensive. It runs in both directions from Camburg / Rodameuschel via the L1070 to Trotz, and from Trotz on the B7 via Bürgel to Jena. This applies throughout the entire construction period on Naumburger Straße, particularly for heavy goods vehicles.
Up-to-date information on road closures and diversions is available in the City of Jena’s roadworks report. (jena.de/baustellen)
Impact on regional and city bus services
With the end of the full closure of Naumburger Straße, route alignments and timetables for city and regional bus services to the northern part of the Saale-Holzland district and the Himmelreich residential area will also change. Details will be published in good time by JES Verkehrsgesellschaft and Jenaer Nahverkehr.
Joint initiative
The fundamental upgrading of Naumburger Straße is a comprehensive joint project involving the City of Jena, Kommunalservice Jena, Jenaer Nahverkehr, Stadtwerke Jena Netze and JenaWasser. In addition to extending the tram line into Himmelreich, roads, footpaths and cycle paths, as well as central supply and waste disposal pipelines, are being renewed along Naumburger Straße. The aim is to bring about a sustainable improvement in mobility and quality of life in the north of Jena. Work began in March 2026 and is expected to last until June 2029. The entire construction site covers the section of Naumburger Straße between the junction with Flurweg and the northern junction with Carl-Orff-Straße. The project will be carried out in several construction phases.
Further information
Project pages of the City of Jena and Jena Public Transport with regular updates:
- jena.de/ausbau-jena-nord
- stadtwerke-jena.de/himmelreich