Dispute over a new bridge for the Regensburg Stadtbahn – mayor and district administrator in a clinch?

Created: 05/03/2022, 19:10

By: Stefan Aigner

October 5, 2021: Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer and District Administrator Tanja Schweiger presenting the joint position paper for a regional light rail system.

© Beate Geier

The city and district of Regensburg are currently at loggerheads over 60 centimeters and 800,000 euros.

The district administrator and mayor actually wanted to work closely together on the expansion of the light rail system.

Regensburg - "It is important that we see ourselves as a region, especially in the area of ​​mobility, and that our plans for a higher quality public transport system do not end at the city limits." When Regensburg's Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer (SPD) said this sentence, it was a symbol of solidarity between the city and the district.

Together with District Administrator Tanja Schweiger (free voters), the Mayor presented a position paper in which both spoke out in favor of close cooperation between the city and the state in order to expand the Stadtbahn planned for Regensburg to the surrounding area - to the Regiostadtbahn.

"A project like the Stadtbahn only makes sense if the interests of the people from the region are also taken into account," said District Administrator Schweiger a little later.

Dispute over Regensburg Stadtbahn: who pays for the wider bridge?

But does the concept of "town and country hand in hand" actually work as well as publicly stated?

A current quarrel between the city and district of Regensburg at least gives rise to doubts.

It's about a bridge, about 60 centimeters and the question of who will take on the necessary investments of an estimated 800,000 euros.

This week, the planning committee of the Regensburg City Council is on the agenda for a fundamental decision on the transshipment station in Burgweinting.

Deutsche Bahn will renew the railway bridge there over Hartinger Straße due to its poor structural condition.

At the same time, DB Netz AG is planning a transshipment station there.

The city therefore has to make several adjustments to its road network.

Among other things, a new railway overpass is needed over Hartinger Straße in the direction of Neutraubling.

Dispute over Stadtbahn for the city and state of Regensburg: So far, everyone has agreed

So far, there has been agreement with the district that this bridge should be planned in such a way that a light rail should also be able to run over it.

As early as summer 2020, the Regensburg city council decided, at the request of the district, to consider the width of this bridge in more detail - because, according to a report by the district, the route is a promising option for expanding the light rail system in the direction of Neutraubling.

(By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter will keep you regularly informed about all the important stories from the World Heritage city and the Upper Palatinate. Register here.)

An expert was jointly commissioned to examine whether and how the railway overpass in Harting could be planned and built in a manner compatible with the Stadtbahn.

The decision literally said: "If the route should prove to be feasible and the district commits itself to the city in the resulting additional costs (including maintenance and renewal) of the EÜ Hartinger Straße, the city as the responsible road construction authority will take this further Submit a request to EÜ Hartinger Straße to DB.”

Dispute over Regensburg Stadtbahn: Fronts seem hardened

Almost two years later it is clear: the bridge over Hartinger Strasse can easily be built to accommodate the city railway if it is planned to be about 60 centimeters wider.

According to the previous "rough" estimates of the city planning department, the additional costs for this are around 800,000 euros - for comparison: the bridge construction without the extension would cost around ten million euros.

But who pays for these additional investments?

According to reports, the mayor has so far suggested that the sum be divided equally between the city and the district - 400,000 euros for each.

But District Administrator Schweiger doesn't seem to like that.

An insider says that Schweiger accepted the mayor's suggestion with "little enthusiasm".

After all, the district does not pay for a bridge in the area of ​​the city of Regensburg.

On the city side, according to sources in the administration, the position is that one will not pay completely for an extension of the bridge, which will benefit the district.

Dispute over Regensburg Stadtbahn: One is still “in coordination”

Nothing is lost yet.

The city initially indicated to the railway that they wanted to plan the bridge with the required wider cross-section.

At least that option remains open.

However, the draft resolution for the city council also states that the city of Regensburg will only have funds "for municipal cost shares for the additional request for the optional continuation of a light rail system in the direction of Neutraubling".

The unspecified remainder would therefore lie with the district.

And when asked by the municipal press office, the city press office said that they were still “in coordination” with regard to cost sharing.

A response from the district or the district administrator to a corresponding request is still pending.