The last special session of the city council was a passionate discussion.
The occasion was the presentation of the city's new cycling concept, which was voted on at the end of the meeting.
Weilheim
- It was not a "quick number" last Thursday evening. A city councilor had expressed the hope that the city council meeting, which had only two items on the agenda, would not last too long. But the special meeting convened especially for the presentation of the new cycling concept was tough - and accordingly took a long time. Almost two and a half hours for the first item on the agenda. The proposed measures to strengthen cycling in Weilheim were discussed intensively and controversially by the city councils.
Engineer Christoph Hessel from the traffic office "gevas, Humberg & Partner" presented the key points of the developed bicycle traffic concept.
This had been designed in the past few months in close cooperation with the specially formed working group “Rad” (AG-Rad).
The AG-Rad includes parliamentary group chairmen, representatives of interest groups for cycling such as the ADFC (General German Bicycle Club) and employees of the city administration.
Bicycle traffic concept: bicycle routes should run through residential areas
At the beginning of his presentation, Hessel showed that although various types of construction for cyclists, such as bicycle roads, have already been implemented in Weilheim, there are still no connected bicycle routes through the entire city area. It is not possible to guide bicycle traffic along the main roads for various reasons (too much vehicle traffic, too little space for further structural measures). The AG-Rad therefore decided to run the main network for bicycle traffic independently outside the main roads. In short: Most of the cycle routes should run through residential areas (see graphic above).
Various measures are being considered to enable quick and safe cycling through the city.
The following ideas were up for debate: A twelve-month test to open the Weilheim pedestrian zone to cycling and a pilot project on the Krottenkopfstraße-Johann-Baur-Straße bike route with:
a) Designation of Krottenkopfstraße as a bicycle road with priority for bicycle traffic and one-way street regulation for local traffic, possibly with multiple changes of direction within the one-way street
b) Designation of Johann-Baur-Straße as a bicycle road with priority for bicycle traffic and narrow lanes.
Prälatenweg instead of Krottenkopfstraße for pilot project
In the course of the speeches that followed the presentation, it became clear that the majority of the city council preferred Prälatenweg instead of Krottenkopfstraße and that there should only be a change of direction for motorized traffic.
The pilot project was approved in both cases with 25: 4 votes.
The release of the pedestrian zone for cyclists, however, was controversial (detailed report will follow).
The city councils narrowly voted against a release, but it became clear that the majority could well imagine a trial opening of Buxbaumgasse in the northern, wide section - this was then recorded in the resolution.
Manuel Neulinger (Greens), the city council's traffic officer, emphasized that the Greens had sought a more far-reaching solution.
His hope that the majority of the committee would vote for the overall concept was not entirely fulfilled in the end, after all, the city councils voted against cycling in the pedestrian zone.
Roland Bosch from the ÖDP wanted the proposed ideas to be implemented more quickly: "I would prefer we not to be so timid," he said.
"It's not the big hit"
BfW representative Claus Reindl, however, was disappointed with the overall concept.
"It's not the big hit," said the former traffic officer (2002-2020).
“I would have liked more clever ideas, but they don't seem to exist,” he added.
Reindl was the first speaker to bring the Prälatenweg into play instead of the Krottenkopfstraße, because in his opinion the Krottenkopfstraße is not suitable for a pilot project.
“The Prälatenweg is simply more suitable, since there will also be more bicycle frequency from Polling,” he said.
Franzänder (CSU) pointed out that fire brigade members could be hindered by further one-way street regulations in residential areas.
"I see the ten-minute relief deadline in danger if the fire fighters need longer to get to the operations center," said the city council.
CSU spokeswoman Marion Lunz-Schmieder warned of a “forest of signs at every intersection”, who strongly criticized multiple changes within one-way streets.
AG-Rad: Further consultations will follow
The AG-Rad will now meet again to discuss the points decided in the city council.
Bicycle traffic officer Stefan Frenzl emphasized that the details of the concept would only now take place afterwards.
In the course of the implementation of the pilot projects, there will be a participation of the residents of the affected streets, as well as a broad public relations work.
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