Autobahn fest celebrates street completion

***image1***The autobahn A63 near Mehlingen turns into a fest area Sunday. Before A63 between Sembach and Kaiserslautern opens to traffic, an autobahn fest takes place to celebrate the completion of the last piece of A63 between Mehlingen and Eselsbachtal-Bridge.
Walkers, bikers and skaters can take advantage of 5,000 meters of car-free road from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., have fun and learn interesting things about cars and traffic.
“The Mehlingen people are happy and proud to have such a unique fest in their community,” said Mehlingen Mayor Barbara Huber-Sehi.
The regional radio stations, SWR1 and SWR4, present an entertaining program with live music.
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band presents big band sound, the band Wind performs pop music and Truck Stop plays country music. The Strings, Freddy Wonder Combo, Weather Girls and Hot Stuff also perform.
Children can test their skills on a bicycle course, and adults can test their driving attitude in a drivers’ simulator. A variety of old-fashioned vehicles are on display such as tractors, motorcycles, fire trucks and trash trucks. There is also the type of construction vehicles that helped to build the road.
“The open gap between the Kaiserslautern area and the Rhein-Main area will soon be closed; mobility will improve,” said Hans-Arthur Bauckhage, secretary of economics, traffic, agriculture and viniculture. This last piece of autobahn A63 will open to traffic in October.
Several restaurants from the area provide culinary specialties.
Admission to the fest is free.
Parking is not available at the fest area. Visitors are asked to park on the park and ride lots in Sembach’s industrial park (Gewerbepark) and in Kaisers-lautern (near Rathaus and in PRE-Park near traffic circle and Möbel Martin). Blue P+R signs show the way.
Shuttle buses leave every 15 minutes from PRE-Park traffic circle and Möbel Martin starting at 9:45 a.m. From the Rathaus, the shuttle starts departing at 9:40 a.m. on an hourly basis. The bus in Gewerbepark Sembach takes visitors to the fest starting at 9:40 a.m. every 20 minutes until 5:40 p.m.