Witzenhausen learns from Frankenberg: Bridges for the transport transition!

Witzenhausen learns from Frankenberg: Bridges for the transport transition!

What an exciting exchange: A group of around 20 representatives from Witzenhausen made their way to Frankenberg to find out about successful bridge construction and transport concepts. The reason for this is the problem in Witzenhausen that has been going on for years, particularly with regard to the urgently needed truck bridge and the planned cycle and pedestrian bridge. As the Werra Rundschau Reportedly, members of the “Traffic Transition” campaign alliance, the citizens’ initiative “Sensible Transport Planning”, parliamentarians and administrative representatives took part in the excursion.

The city of Frankenberg is not a blank slate when it comes to modern transport solutions. In recent years, several bridges have been built here, including the Wehrweiden Bridge, the Wildpark Bridge and the Ederdorf Bridge. These bridges are part of a comprehensive overall concept that is intended to improve inner-city connections and revitalize the city center. What's special: The Ederdorf Bridge, which is 95 meters long, will be opened in summer 2024. The total costs for the new cycling infrastructure amount to over 25 million euros, a large part of which is covered by subsidies.

Frankenberg as a showcase model

Another bright spot is that the wildlife park bridge was built for around 2.5 million euros, of which the city contributed around 540,000 euros. The “Ederpromenade” bus stop in Frankenberg is also something very special: it is equipped with bicycle racks, a charging station for e-bikes and even a bicycle repair shop. The measures show that Frankenberg is on the right track when it comes to promoting local mobility.

For the Witzenhausen participants, the exchange about the bridge building projects was very valuable, even if they were not yet able to derive a concrete approach from the excursion. But there is interest in positive traffic development, and the city would like to use the experiences from Frankenberg as inspiration for its own planning.

Focus on local mobility

In a similar context, Esslingen is also working on a local mobility concept. Loud AGFK-BW The goal is to create safe, comfortable and continuous paths for pedestrians and cyclists. The districts are to be systematically connected to the city center and from March 31, 2025, citizens can provide feedback on existing routes via an interactive online map.

Dr. Teresa Engel from the Mobility Department emphasizes the important role of the knowledge of local people. It is essential that frequently used routes are prioritized, setting clear quality standards such as minimum widths and barrier-free design. A separate website for participation in the local mobility concept ensures that citizens in Esslingen can actively participate.

The exchange between Witzenhausen and Frankenberg shows how important it is to learn from each other and to find solutions to the challenges of transport together.