Senate clears (bike) paths

Before getting down to the nitty-gritty of the bicycle city, building officer thomas beese spoke at the first meeting of the new mobility senate about basic principles of mobility in bamberg. His status report was meant to be a kind of handover. Because the topic of traffic development is now in the hands of the second mayor jonas glusenkamp (grunes bamberg). At the end of the meeting, there were a number of resolutions to make the city more bike-friendly. At the beginning, glusenkamp had a "good tone of interaction in the senate, which must always be characterized by mutual respect", reminded.

In his report, beese reminded us, among other things, of the goals of the bamberg traffic development plan. This also includes the reduction of the share of car traffic in the city of bamberg from more than 40 percent (2015) to 25 percent by 2030. "So even then, many people will still be able to drive a car." The building officer referred to the limited space in the city. On the fact that there is no basic right to parking spaces in the city. And on the importance of the bicycle for many bambergers. Of course, the city does not only have bicyclists in mind.

Beese’s new citizens’ initiative "bamberg.Together.Mobile" the fact that the children’s movement has little to do with children became abundantly clear. When the image of a corona demonstration appeared in his presentation, he immediately explained that he did not want to equate these movements with each other. And yet he also sees the danger of "obscure fellow travelers" in the mobility discussion. This was opposed by city councilors martin pohner (FDP) and andreas triffo (BBB), who were both among the first signatories of the BI."This is not right. We also want to improve the quality of life in the city, but what we do must be accepted and recognized by all citizens, underlined triffo. Pohner noted a "remarkable autobashing on the part of the administration" firmly. It is good and important that people who are of a different opinion also organize themselves.

Glusenkamp demanded not to create additional ditches, but to work together on a traffic turnaround far from the next elections. "Of course, we have to take all the people with us", emphasized christian hader (grunes bamberg).

He is in favor of equal rights for all means of transport, but he says bamberg is still a long way from achieving this goal. Not every measure is always convenient and opportune, but if in the end the benefits for everyone are greater than the restrictions, people are also prepared to change. "Let’s tackle the turnaround", he demanded. In view of the slight increase in the number of accidents, hader would like to see even more mutual respect among all road users.

"Prosperity also needs mobility, declared franz-wilhelm heller (CSU). All the decisions to be made had to be taken with care and with the agreement of the burgers. "It’s not about fighting the car, but about creating alternatives", emphasized the SPD group chairman klaus stieringer. "We have to deal with the future."

As far as the bicycle city resolutions are concerned, hader felt it was time to give something back to the people who have made bamberg the city with the highest percentage of bicycle traffic in bavaria. Or as the grunen city councilman put it: "where there’s a will, there’s a bike path."

Two traffic trials become permanent solutions

The traffic trials at markusplatz (separate guidance of bicycle traffic on protective lanes) and in friedrichstrabe (two-meter-wide bicycle lane with solid line) are to become permanent according to the will of the mobility senate. In the case of friedrichstrabe, only andreas triffo (BBB) voted against it; he sees "an imbalance between the problem and the benefit" and refers to considerable traffic jam. However, according to bicycle representative dagmar spangenberg, the transport authority has so far only noticed minor delays at this location. The mobilitat senate unanimously approved the widening of the existing protective strip in konigstrabe (section kettenbruckstrabe to letzengasse). For the bicycle lane peuntstrabe stadteinwarts (section trimbergstrabe

Until marienbrucke) with simultaneous relocation of the bus stops (stadteinwarts from the curve into the straight, stadtauswarts two stops are combined into one at marienplatz) the mobilitatssenat has spoken out against the votes of triffo and anna niedermaier (CSU). For the section from egelseestrabe to trimbergstrabe, the administration is to discuss the plans with the citizens’ association, residents and traffic associations – and then report again. "We need to find out a lot more about what works. There are three- to four-story apartment buildings without garages, and the parking spaces can’t be moved so easily", says franz-wilhelm heller (CSU).

According to the administration, the lost license spaces, nine from peuntstrabe and six at marienplatz, can be used in the "old vocational school" license area be compensated. Also a partial area of the finance office parking lot could be used if necessary – but only in the period from 18 to 5.45 o’clock.

According to the senate’s decision, the possibility of additional replacement parking spaces for residents is to be examined once again. The mobilitat senate has also given its blessing to the plans for the bicycle facilities on the regensburger ring (section mubstrabe to schweinfurter strabe). However, a two-meter-wide bicycle lane is not possible here, as otherwise the minimum width for the remaining lane for bus traffic would not be met. The measure cost about 20,000 euros and could be implemented this summer (assuming the budget is approved).

The senate also decided (against the votes of triffo, heller and anna niedermaier) to redesign the kaulbergfub. The handicapped parking lot there and two short-term parking spaces will be moved away. An extended pedestrian zone should create a more comfortable entrance to the pile square. "We have already allowed the cyclists to cross there. Now there is more security", says sebastian niedermaier (SPD).

CSU man heller sees this quite differently. In view of several open-air bar areas, groups gathering there and some cyclists entering very quickly, he predicts: "this will be the most dangerous place in all of bamberg." The initially desired speed limit of 20 bergauarts was removed from the draft resolution – because according to ines schellmann of the bamberg-city police department, such signage would not be possible at this location. Overall, however, the police were able to support the redesign at kaulbergfub.

Instead of speed 20 should now but "attention cyclists"-signs uphill and downhill sensitize motorists. The mobility senate has decided (against triffo’s vote), the trial designation of the bicycle axis luitpoldbrucke – wunderburg as a bicycle road and the administration with the implementation bauftragen. In addition, a concept for opening up the erlichstrabe to cyclists in both directions is to be drawn up. A recommendation has also been made to the finance senate to release the entire budget of 288,200 euros that is currently blocked – if the city council agrees. Without this addition, heller had described the proposal as "eyewash" because: "at the moment the funds can not be released at all."Fo

COMMENT by stefan fobel

Not everyone has to like everything

Not everything can stay the same in bamberg, especially when it comes to traffic policy. Respect is due to those who work to reduce exhaust fumes, improve traffic flow and enhance safety. At least understanding is also due to those who do not feel involved in the traffic turnaround. Not everyone has to like everything that contradicts their personal mobilitatsentwurf. When such positions are bundled in citizens’ initiatives, it makes it easier to address politicians and administrators directly.

In this respect, glusenkamp’s offer to speak to the BI is an expression of sovereignty, which the BI should accept just as confidently. What initiatives can make possible and what they can prevent is known not only to those in the new city council who are familiar with the wheel decision and muna. The fact that the experienced and professionally so knowledgeable top official beese here without necessity for annoyance at the bicycle city critics provides, surprises yet. In bamberg in particular, there is plenty to argue about and even polemicize on the subject of mobility.

You can approach a citizens’ initiative, whose first signatories include restaurateurs, entrepreneurs and six city council members, with arguments, you can try to convince them, or you can ignore them.

But if you don’t take them seriously and indirectly equate them with conspiracy theorists, their position will become even stronger.