Lochhauser Strasse in Puchheim is to become a shopping experience.
On the way there, citizens were allowed to express their wishes and experts examined the status quo.
One result: there is still a lot to be done.
Puchheim
- The future of the city's central shopping mile is a concern for many people from Puchheim.
Hundreds of residents took part in a public survey in early summer - partly in paper form, partly digitally.
The website alone was clicked on over 1,100 times, and users provided 455 ideas for a more attractive Lochhhauser Strasse.
One of the most mentioned was the desire for green and quiet oases.
So far, there are no benches for a short break.
Safety for pedestrians and cyclists was another major concern.
Also, many could envision a higher quality business proposition.
Only the restrictions on car traffic were discussed in a very contrary manner.
The tempo of 20 at a few hundred meters at the southern end of the road continues to stir a lot of emotions.
A renovation case
These and other interim results were presented to the city council's development committee by representatives from three specialist offices. The town planners, traffic analysts and economic geographers are entrusted with the "preparatory investigation", through which it should be determined whether the Lochhauser Straße from the train station to Bäumlstraße is a case of renovation. And if so, whether and how it can be upgraded. Substantial state subsidies from urban development funds are available for such measures.
A proposal that has been made many times by the citizens is a one-way street regulation.
According to the planner's analysis, however, it would have more disadvantages than advantages: the traffic, including the buses, would have to find their way down the side streets, but whether the cyclists would be safer on the road is not clear.
Despite the up to 6,600 vehicles a day, the expert saw no urgent need for action for own cycle paths or protective strips, which of course would have to be created at the expense of parking lots.
Parking spaces in private ownership
On the other hand, there are 438 parking spaces for cars, most of them privately owned. Finding a parking space is therefore difficult only in the immediate vicinity of the train station. The public transport offer is sufficient with three bus stops, on the other hand the offer of bicycle racks has even deteriorated in quality and number in the previous study period. The planners recommend doing away with some of the (public) parking spaces in favor of the quality of stay and can imagine a continuous top speed of "less than 40 kilometers per hour".
It is mixed with service providers and retailers.
There is a lack of a gapless shop window front, there is no continuous “walkway”, the shopping street lacks a lot to a so-called “mall”.
And the quality of the retail trade leaves much to be desired in many areas, judged the expert responsible for the trade, without giving any examples, of course.
The business owners themselves, on the other hand, seem to quarrel less with their location.
Most of them are at least satisfied with the number of customers and sales.
The lack of branch diversity or the not very attractive streetscape are named as shortcomings.
And the low attractiveness of the neighboring establishments.
This result is not representative.
Only 24 out of 120 commercial enterprises appreciated the answer.
(Olf Paschen)