Cyclists' Position in Footwear
Wheeling Through Leinfelden-Echterdingen: Cyclists Demand Swifter Action on the Cycling Plan
Dovetailing through the streets of Leinfelden-Echterdenen on a bike swiftly exposes the challenges faced by cyclists after just a short distance. During an ADFC — Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club — tour through Leinfelden, Oberaichen, and Echterdingen, Monika Knopf and Markus Zellerhoehr from ADFC pointed out the smooth stretches, the hazardous areas, and what they desire to make cycling a seamless experience. Their expertise stems from their roles within the cycling club, as well as their personal cycling habits. Monika Knopf cycles between 8000 and 11,000 kilometers per year, while Markus Zellerhoehr pedals between 3000 and 4000 kilometers. For them, the bicycle serves not only as a leisure activity but also as a means of everyday transport.
Kick Off the Journey
The bike tour commenced at "'s Rädle" in Leinfelden, with the means of transportation detailed by the specialist. The first planned stop was the recently discussed roundabout at Stuttgarter, Rohrer, and Bahnhofstraße. However, the participants initially didn't make it that far. While there is a footpath alongside Bahnhofstraße where cycling is permitted, it is disrupted by several entry and exit points, necessitating caution and slower cycling. At the station itself, one must dismount and push the bike for a few meters if adhering to traffic rules. "Hordes of cyclists are funneled into the pedestrian area daily," explains Zellerhoehr.
Annoying Obstacles
One can clearly see that many cyclists don't dismount for the few meters before the station. From Monika Knopf's perspective, a solution would be to make Bahnhofstraße and Stuttgarter Straße one-way streets and designate one lane for cycling. However, this isn't expected to happen soon. Though the city of Leinfelden-Echterdingen adopted a cycling concept in 2022, the implementation is happening at a snail's pace for the cycling activists, with only a small part of the concept actually implemented.
Clumsy Roundabouts
Next, the roundabout was approached, a so-called model solution from the state for increased safety should be implemented there. However, a corresponding resolution was not passed in the April meeting. Some city council members wanted to assess the situation firsthand. Supporters of the measures could only wonder at the delay. Zellerhoehr and Knopf also expressed puzzlement at the delay in implementing a cycling path around the roundabout.
Some Progress, But Just a Start
Parallel to the train tracks at the Frank stop, a pedestrian and cycle path runs that is used daily by around 2000 cyclists in the summer, as Zelleröhr states. These numbers were gathered using automated counters. "This path has potential," he says. The same problem arises here, though: cyclists are still subordinate to motor vehicle traffic. This means that at every crossing street, motor vehicle traffic has the right of way, necessitating slower progress, careful lookout, and cautious crossing. The simple act of zipping through, like on a priority road, is impossible anywhere.
Enertaining Hiccups
Continuing past the Filder shopping center, the situation at the intersection of Hohenheimer and Max-Lang-Straße was a head-scratcher, almost chaotic. Next, it headed out onto the fields towards Echterdingen. The path was smooth, flat, and used by both cyclists and pedestrians. However, it wasn't a cycling measure. Instead, it served for agricultural purposes.
A Citizen's Ingenious Prank
Increasing the number of people who use bicycles daily is also the goal in Leinfelden-Echterdingen. Nevertheless, the civic camp insists that cycling planning should not come at the expense of other road users. As the group turned towards Friedrich-List-Straße, there was something intriguing promised, the cycling activists revealed with a wink. Apart from the test cycle street, it is the only larger measure from the cycle traffic program that has actually been implemented. The big breakthrough is still not within sight here. Because the cyclists are directed onto a lane east of the street. After about 150 meters, it returned onto the road.
Planned Renovations and Upgrades
Mayor Benjamin Dihm emphasizes that this area could not be implemented as planned in the cycle traffic concept. Actually, the cycle path should continue north and merge into an agricultural access road. "Regrettably, it was not possible for us to acquire the area for the last section of the cycle path, or to obtain permission to continue on this plot, which is why the cycle path ends abruptly north of the car park and cyclists must return to the road," explains Dihm. "We are still trying to find a solution for this section and to complete the cycle path," he says.
A Few Bright Spots
Zelleröhr and Knopf take it all in stride. Even if they describe the end result as a "citizen's prank," the goodwill is there. It continues into Martin-Luther-Straße, a quieter parallel street to the main street, which the cycling community refers to as "the death zone." A bumpy track, this stretch demands good stamina, balanced pedaling skills, and strong arms to keep a steady course. Towards the end of the tour, something delightful awaited: the only longer, real cycling path in the city. It runs along the railway track past the schools in the Goldäckern.
Time to Summarize
Zelleröhr and Knopf lauded the cycling concept. However, if individual measures are debated, there's a risk that not much will remain of the concept in the long run, they fear. The city attributes the lack of progress to a shortage of personnel for construction execution. Nevertheless, with sufficient budget, various marking works for fords and protected bike lanes are planned this year, including in Filderstraße, Musberger Straße, Echterdinger Straße, Leinfelden Straße, Esslinger Straße, and Stettener Hauptstraße. Additionally, the redesign of the roundabouts Rohrer/ Stuttgarter Straße and Esslinger/ Plieninger Straße, as well as the intersections Hohenheimer/ Max-Lang-Straße, Max-Lang-Straße/ Fasanenweg, and Hohenheimer/ Stuttgarter Straße in Unteraichen are planned.
Bike Takeover
In 2022, the city council adopted a cycling concept for Leinfelden-Echterdingen with the aim of encouraging more people to use bicycles in their everyday lives, reducing car traffic and CO2 emissions. More than 60 measures were developed for the entire city area. However, the implementation of these measures faces many obstacles — legal, construction-related, and political. Now, the city's deteriorating financial situation could further delay or even prevent possible construction measures from the cycling concept.
Test the Cycle Street
On so-called bike streets, cyclists take precedence, with motorized traffic being subordinate. Currently, experiences are being gathered with a bike street in a section of Goldäckerstraße. If the results are positive, a permanent bike street could be established there. Other streets in Leinfelden-Echterdingen could also become bike streets if the results in Goldäckerstraße are favorable.
Embracing the Challenge of Sports
The cycling tour revealed the challenges faced by cyclists in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, emphasizing the need for improved infrastructure to facilitate smoother and safer cycling experiences. Monika Knopf and Markus Zellerhoehr, both avid cyclists and advocates, pedal a combined total of 15,000 to 15,000 kilometers yearly, demonstrating their passion for sports and cycling.
Championing Change in Sports
The cycling duo aims to make cycling a preferred mode of transport within the city and encourages the implementation of the Leinfelden-Echterdingen cycling concept at a faster pace. Their expertise, coupled with their enthusiasm for sports, pushes them to scrutinize the city's cycling measures and propose necessary improvements to make cycling more accessible and enjoyable.
