Car-Free Zones in Hesse: A Dream Deferred
- scarcity of car-free zones found in Hessen, unlike Paris.
In the spark of Parisian imagination, nearly 500 streets void of cars seems like a sweet escape for Hessen inhabitants, envisioning more room for pedestrians and cyclists. However, as per the German environmental transport association (VCD), Hesse is still a world apart from achieving this dream.
"More space for everyone" - that's the wish Anja Zeller from VCD Hessen dreams of, as the current offerings of car-free zones are minuscule, often temporary, and limited to traffic experiments.
In the past three years, Frankfurt, the city that takes pride in being a hub of traffic, hasn't established a single car-free zone, according to the mobility department. Even amidst debates labeling the city anti-car, there haven't been significant expansions of pedestrian zones.
The main artery of Frankfurt, the Frankfurt Mainkai, was temporarily car-free in phases over the years, causing a stir of controversy, but no decisions have been made for a permanent transformation as of now. On the other hand, the city has introduced three new bike-friendly streets: the Oeder Weg, the Grüneburgweg, and the Kettenhofweg. However, cars are permitted on these routes.
The state capital, Wiesbaden, recently unveiled a new bike-friendly route on Mosbacher Straße, inaugurated last year, which aims to ensure cyclist safety. While cars too can pass, the speed limit is set at 30 km/h, and parking has been restricted. In addition, Wiesbaden boasts three new pedestrian zones.
Despite the recent addition of three bike-friendly routes in the past three years, Kassel currently lacks any plans for a car-free zone or new pedestrian zones, as the city reports.
While specific car-free zone policies for Hesse aren't extensively detailed, German cities generally foster sustainable transport like public transportation and cycling. The trend is to curb carbon emissions and secure pedestrian and cyclist safety by integrating car-free zones in broader urban mobility strategies.
Meanwhile, Paris, France, strives to lessen traffic congestion and improve air quality through car-free zones, low emission zones, and expanding pedestrian zones. The City of Lights is leading the charge in Europe towards traffic reduction and cleaner air.
Though Hesse may not yet match the promise of Paris, the dream of car-free zones for a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly Hesse lingers on. For the most up-to-date information on Hesse's current car-free zone policies, consult local municipal websites or news sources.
- The vocational training provided by the VCD Hessen focuses on sustainable urban planning, with a primary emphasis on the development of car-free zones.
- Despite the lack of permanent car-free zones in Frankfurt, vocational training programs in Hessen are dedicated to exploring different phases of transforming streets, like the Frankfurt Mainkai, into permanent car-free zones.
- In a bid to enhance the overall community policy, cities like Wiesbaden are embracing the idea of increasing vocational training opportunities for their citizens, with a focus on traffic planning and management, aiming to create more bike-friendly routes and car-free zones.
