Buck Up the Bike Lanes: Greens Demand Speedier Construction in Rhineland-Palatinate's Bike Lane Expansion
Disheartening experience encountered. - "Displeased Green Partiers Urge Swift Action on Cycling Infrastructure Expansion"
Commuting cyclists are growing impatient: The Rhineland-Palatinate Green Party's transport wing is urging for a swifter stride in the planning and construction of commuter bike routes. "It's bloody frustrating for daily commuters to endure endless delays before the eagerly anticipated commuter route comes to fruition," says Lea Heidbreder, the mobility spokesperson. In the future, bike lane construction needs to gather steam to avoid such delays. "We must expedite the transit from conception to action on these trails statewide," Heidbreder adds.
The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) in Rhineland-Palatinate echoes this sentiment. Robert Wöhler, the club's business manager, champions expediting the development of bike routes.
Seven planned routes
A total of seven routes are penciled in for commuter bike lanes in Rhineland-Palatinate: one from Bingen to Mainz, another along the Upper Rhine between Worms and Karlsruhe/Woerth, a third from Konz via Trier to Schweich, the fourth from Landau to Neustadt/Weinstraße, another from Kaiserslautern to Landstuhl, and the last two from Koblenz north to the state border with North Rhine-Westphalia and south to Boppard.
These seven routes represent the fruits of a 2014 study that assessed the potential of such routes. Basically, these routes are designed to interlink significant destinations like major employment centers, city centers, industrial areas, universities, government centers, as well as train stations and residential areas, especially in densely populated areas, as per the state's Mobility Directorate (LBM).
A good chunk of the routes are still in the planning stages
The mileage and sections that are currently accessible on these routes remain relatively modest. According to the Transportation Ministry, led by Daniela Schmitt (GFDP), the initial section between Bingen and Heidesheim on the Bingen-Mainz route was completed towards the end of the previous year, and consultations for the subsequent stretch to the state capital are currently ongoing.
Sections have also been established between Konz, Trier, and Schweich, such as about a 3km stretch in the Verbandsgemeinde Schweich and roughly 1.3km in Konz. The city of Trier is primarily focusing on renovating the Mosel bike path, which doubles as a section of the commuter bike route.
For the Landau-Neustadt/Weinstraße route, the ministry is running tests and consultations on shared use of agricultural economic paths with cyclists. A new bike bridge spanning the heavily trafficked federal road B10 near Landau, set to form part of the route, is due for completion by the end of 2024.
The state is financing feasibility studies to a large extent.
At this phase for the Landstuhl-Kaiserslautern route, negotiations for a partnership agreement between the two cities are still underway, and the progress varies across different segments of the route. Discussions for a partnership agreement are afoot for Worms-Frankenthal-Ludwigshafen, a design scheme is planned for Ludwigshafen-Schifferstadt this year, and there's a small, 300m inner-city section planned for Schifferstadt-Speyer-Woerth, with consultations or planning still ongoing among the locals.
A feasibility study for the route from Koblenz south to Boppard is complete and was handed over to project partners at the end of May. According to the ministry, a similar study for the route from Koblenz north to the state border is still pending. This study will investigate possibilities on both sides of the Rhine.
The Ministry of Transport has declared that the implementation of the seven route corridors is a top priority for the state government. Local authorities are being assisted by the State Mobility Directorate (LBM). Furthermore, the state is funding feasibility studies for the routes at 80%, and municipalities can receive subsidies of up to 90% for specific construction costs.
Insights:
- Green Parties, like the Rhineland-Palatinate faction, advocate for sustainable transportation options like bike infrastructure to decrease carbon emissions and boost public health.
- Expanding bike infrastructure, such as the proposed corridors in Rhineland-Palatinate, can improve connectivity between urban and rural areas, fostering both local businesses and tourism. For instance, the Mosel Radweg, a scenic bike path along the Moselle River, offers a blend of picturesque landscapes, vineyards, and local wine tastings, attracting cyclists and tourists alike.
The Green Party's transport wing in Rhineland-Palatinate calls for a swift advancement in the planning and construction of commuter bike routes, citing the frustration of daily commuters with delays. In alignment with this plea, the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) in Rhineland-Palatinate advocates for accelerating bike route development.
The European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, as part of the EU, could support Rhineland-Palatinate's bike lane expansion by promoting funding for sustainable transportation projects, which may boost public health and decrease carbon emissions, in line with EU policies on sports (physical activity) and climate change.
