Editing Ruhr (section)

===Road transport===
The Ruhr has one of the densest motorway networks in all of Europe, with dozens of [[Autobahn]]s and similar Schnellstraßen (expressways) crossing the region. The Autobahn network is built in a grid network, with four east–west ([[Bundesautobahn 2|A2]], [[Bundesautobahn 40|A40]], [[Bundesautobahn 42|A42]], [[Bundesautobahn 44|A44]]) and seven north–south ([[Bundesautobahn 1|A1]], [[Bundesautobahn 3|A3]], [[Bundesautobahn 43|A43]], [[Bundesautobahn 45|A45]], [[Bundesautobahn 52|A52]], [[Bundesautobahn 57|A57]], [[Bundesautobahn 59|A59]]) routes. The A1, A2 and A3 are mostly used by through traffic, while the other autobahns have a more regional function.

Both the A44 and the A52 have several missing links, in various stages of planning. Some missing sections are currently in construction or planned to be constructed in the near future.

Additional expressways serve as bypasses and local routes, especially around Dortmund and Bochum. Due to the density of the autobahns and expressways, [[Bundesstraße]]n are less important for intercity traffic. The first Autobahns in the Ruhr opened during the mid-1930s. Due to the density of the network, and the number of alternative routes, traffic volumes are generally lower than other major metropolitan areas in Europe. Traffic congestion is an everyday occurrence, but far less so than in the [[Randstad]] in the Netherlands, another polycentric urban area. Most important Autobahns have six lanes, but there are no eight-lane Autobahns in the Ruhr.