Baunatal remains bicycle-friendly: important cycling projects are coming up!

Baunatal remains bicycle-friendly: important cycling projects are coming up!

Baunatal is pleased with a remarkable award: the city has been honored as a particularly bicycle-friendly municipality for the fourth time in a row. Baunatal is currently in first place in the category for cities with 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants in the ADFC climate test. This good news was announced by First City Councilor Daniel Jung (SPD) and cycling representative Hartmut Wicke, who accepted the award in Berlin. But despite these successes, there is still a lot to do, as the planned cycle paths, which are currently on hold, show.

The city's cycling friendliness has not only been appreciated, it has also improved. The city is taking clear measures to further improve the infrastructure for cyclists. Plans include, among other things, a new cycle path along state road 3473 and a redesign of the R1 long-distance cycle route in the city. In addition, bicycle streets should be set up, such as on Zwehrener Weg, to give cyclists more priority. The pothole initiative to improve the quality of paths is also part of the measures.

Planned projects and challenges

There are a few projects coming up for the coming year 2025. The city is planning to dismantle an old roadway on the former four-lane connection between Altenbauna and Kirchbauna to make room for a cycle path. Another important point is the closure of the gap on the R1 long-distance cycle path near Guntershausen, which involves the construction of a bridge over the Bauna stream. The estimated cost of this bridge is around 550,000 euros.

Unfortunately, the Baunatal cycling fans still have to wait for construction to start on the projects, as these depend on the approval of the 2025/2026 double budget. The next budget vote will take place on September 23rd at 6 p.m. in the town hall. This will show whether the necessary funds can be made available.

ADFC bicycle climate test 2024

Parallel to the development in Baunatal, the ADFC bicycle climate test 2024 will take place, which starts on September 1st. Cyclists across Germany have the opportunity to rate their satisfaction with the bike-friendliness of their cities. Around 245,000 participants took part in the last survey, helping to create a new ranking of the most bike-friendly cities and communities. The survey is not only used for evaluation, but also allows for feedback on how to improve the infrastructure. The results will be presented in Berlin in spring 2025 and will be available on the ADFC website: fahrradklima-test.adfc.de.

The aim of the test is to collect realistic feedback from cyclists in order to provide valuable information to policy makers and transport planners. The survey includes 27 questions on aspects such as safety on the bike, the inviting nature of the cycle paths and coexistence in traffic.

The results of the test will help Baunatal and other municipalities to further promote cycling. With the right support and a good hand in planning, Baunatal will continue to stay on the right track to being a bike-friendly city.