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The traffic concept planned to convert Langener Straße into a bicycle street. ADFC and VILE are committed to implementing the project – and have further suggestions for Egelsbach. archive © Strohfeldt (archive)
The traffic transition initiative VILE and the ADFC are calling for Langener Straße in Egelsbach to be upgraded for cyclists. The two groups are also keeping an eye on other problem areas.
Egelsbach – Until now, the VILE transport transition initiative, founded in 2021, had focused primarily on Langen. But there are also topics in Egelsbach that concern cyclists. That’s why the members discussed at a meeting with the local group of the ADFC (General German Bicycle Club) how the situation for cyclists in the Tränkbach community could be improved.
The main topic of the meeting was the traffic concept, which the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences developed on behalf of the municipality, but which was rejected by the municipal council (see information box). And since, from VILE and ADFC’s point of view, many transport policy issues have recently been overshadowed by the mayoral election campaign, the two groups are now calling for a discussion as to which individual measures from the transport concept could still be implemented.
Distance campaign in conversation
First and foremost, the activists would like to see the expansion of the cyclist axis to Langen, which is most frequently used by students: the conversion of Langener Straße into a bicycle street and the opening of the southern part – currently a one-way street – for cyclists in both directions. “It is incomprehensible that Egelsbach is having such a difficult time opening up one-way streets for cyclists,” write VILE and ADFC in a joint statement. In both Frankfurt and Langen, cyclists could – with a few exceptions – use many one-way streets in both directions. “Where it’s tight, you have to be considerate of oncoming traffic. But you have to do that in tight inner city areas anyway,” it continues.
One change that the initiatives welcome is the new right-before-left rule at the “Scharferen Eck”. However, a possible opening of Ernst-Ludwigstrasse and Schulstrasse for bicycle traffic in both directions was controversially discussed. On the one hand, there is no compelling reason not to open these streets. On the other hand, not only car traffic but also bicycle traffic is slowed down when encounters on this east-west axis. “And you want to get through Egelsbach quickly,” said the activists. Since both streets are close to each other and run parallel, the need to make changes there appears to be minimal. However, an experiment for a limited period of time, as suggested by Professor Jürgen Follmann from the university, is conceivable.
The failed transport concept
Students from Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences put around two and a half years of work into the traffic concept for Egelsbach under the guidance of Professor Jürgen Follmann. In December 2023, however, the municipal council rejected the 86-page paper with a majority of votes from the CDU, SPD and FDP. The main points of criticism: the university’s decision-making is not transparent, the three citizens’ workshops were announced too late or were on inconvenient dates, which is why they were not representative, and the concept focuses too much on cyclists and leaves other road users out.
Cyclists are critical of the commercial area, particularly the Kurt-Schumacher-Ring/K 168 intersection. For the Kurt-Schumacher-Ring, the groups would like cyclists to be allowed to use the cycle path on the west side in both directions.
The connections to neighboring towns were also a topic of lively exchange. The new cycle highway to Langen and Darmstadt was praised and in particular that the first section was implemented so quickly thanks to Egelsbach’s commitment. The good infrastructure is already having an impact: where previously there was rarely a single cyclist on dirt roads, there are now several thousand on the new connection every day. And this despite the fact that only a very short stretch between Langen and Arheilgen has been completed. However, cyclists rate the connections to Offenthal and Mörfelden as “poor”. Hessen Forest must also be held responsible here.
A big nuisance for ADFC and VILE are drivers who show little consideration for cyclists. It is therefore conceivable to launch a campaign to point out the required minimum distance of 1.50 meters when overtaking – similar to the one launched by Langen cycling officer David Distelmann in the spring. (msc)