On the way to more climate protection in the district, the promotion of cycling is also an elementary component.
An important point on the way to a functioning everyday cycle network has now been decided in the district council.
District
- The preparatory work has largely been completed, the cornerstones of the everyday cycle path network in the district have been decided and announced. Its aim is for cyclists to get to their destination quickly and safely. The relaxed drive past scenic views is of secondary importance (we reported). Instead, the (electric) bicycle should become a real alternative to cars.
For this reason, several “corridors” were decided to create a seamless cycle path connection.
The east-west corridor leads from Penzberg via Eberfing, Polling, Weilheim, Peißenberg, Peiting and Schongau to Ingenried in the far west on the border with the Allgäu.
The west corridor leads from Hohenfurch via Schongau and Burggen to Steingaden), the east corridor from Pähl via Weilheim and Polling to Eglfing.
In the future, all of these corridors are to be connected to the cycle path networks of the neighboring districts, so that at the end of the day everyone can safely cycle to work or to go shopping.
Existing cycle paths should be used
Now it is time to implement the ambitious project. Not every cycle path has to be built from scratch - on the contrary. "We try, as far as it is somehow possible, to use existing bike paths and to integrate them into the network by means of appropriate signs," said the traffic planner of the district office, Veronika Schellhorn. And if the construction of new cycle paths is necessary, then “of course we will try to tap into one of the four funding pots now available”, assured district treasurer Norbert Merk. Because the construction of new bike paths is expensive. It is calculated at 219,000 euros per kilometer of bike path.
Funding of 80 percent of the costs would of course be very welcome. However, not at any price, as Merk made clear in the district council. “We have to look carefully at what is being funded. If, for example, there is only money for the construction of new asphalt bike paths with a prescribed width, then you have to calculate exactly whether it will not be cheaper if you use a properly graveled unpaved path without subsidies, which can also be cleared in winter ", So Merk. In any case, the implementation of the everyday cycle path concept will incur considerable costs for the district.
That is why the district councils are also looking for cheaper alternatives.
Manuel Neulinger (Greens / Weilheim) hopes, as he says in the district council, that the federal government "after the clear rulings of the Federal Constitutional Court on the subject of climate protection" will now "give the municipalities real money in order to create the conditions for climate-neutral mobility".
District councilor Manuela Vanni (Independent / Peißenberg) said that one should also think about reallocating existing roads to pure cycle paths.
“If four streets lead into one place, you can easily turn one of them into a cycle path,” she suggested.
District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiß doubted that “this can be implemented in terms of traffic law”, but promised to have it checked carefully.
Seek a conversation with the farmers
Peter Erhard (CSU / Böbing) warned those responsible to talk to the farmers as soon as possible.
“We absolutely need them in the implementation of all these plans.
And it would be bad style if the local newspaper found out where the new bike path should lead before we talked to them.
"We are already in talks with the farmers - currently mainly through the associations," said District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiß.
In the end, there was hardly any debate about the actual point that was to be decided on that day - the allocation of who should bear how much of the actual costs.
For the implementation of the main corridors and all cycle paths that appear in the everyday cycle path concept but are outside the main corridors, the district bears 80 percent of the costs, the rest must be borne by the respective neighboring communities.
For cycle paths that run along district roads but are not part of the concept, the district bears 20 percent and the respective municipalities 80 percent.
This proposal met with broad approval in the district council and is now to be implemented.
Schongau newsletter:
Everything from your region!
Our brand new Schongau newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the Schongau region - including all the news about the corona crisis in your community.
Sign up here.