A critical section of the A40 highway in the Ruhr region of Germany has been closed for ten days due to suspected unexploded ordnance from World War II. The closure, impacting a heavily trafficked route between Venlo, Duisburg, and Dortmund, is necessary for thorough ground investigations during bridge renewal work in Mülheim. Authorities have received indications of potential bombs buried beneath a 20-meter stretch of roadway. The investigation will involve careful removal of the asphalt and potential bomb disposal. Officials state no alternative to the full closure was feasible, and significant traffic disruptions are anticipated. Germany routinely deals with uncovering WWII-era munitions; last year, over 2,100 explosives, including nearly 300 large bombs, were defused in North Rhine-Westphalia alone. The Ruhr region, a key industrial center during the war, was heavily bombed and remains susceptible to discovering remnants of the conflict.