Surprising turnaround: Instead of a traffic light, a roundabout is now being built at UPM

Created: 06/04/2022, 16:00

By: Elke Robert

The new roundabout is to have a 16 meter radius, everyday cyclists can use it, while leisurely cyclists cross at an island.

© State Building Authority

Now there is a large roundabout at the UPM access road.

This solution has now been presented by the State Building Authority.

The traffic light system that was actually planned there will cause problems for the residents.

The roundabout is to be built in 2023, the traffic light at the "Loamer Stichl" in autumn this year.

Schongau – The city council and building committee had already discussed the expansion plans on Peitinger Strasse several times.

The plans for the access road to the Schongau company UPM-Kymene presented in December 2020 were initially postponed by the state building authority, but have now been changed again.

As Andreas Lenker from the Weilheim State Building Authority explained to the city council at its most recent meeting, the planned traffic lights would be disadvantageous for residents.

"In particular, there would be conflicts with private exits in the area of ​​​​the left turn lane," summarized the head of the road construction department in the Weilheim-Schongau district.

But there are also other reasons, including the road for the left turn lane from the direction of Peiting would have to be significantly wider.

Roundabout solution was already an issue, but was discarded

So they returned to the roundabout solution, which they had originally discarded.

At that time, this was planned directly after the Lech Bridge at the height of the current crossing of Friedrich-Haindl-Straße.

As a result, access to UPM from the west would have been so tight that the trucks would have had to go all the way around the roundabout before they could turn off.

Now the roundabout has been moved as far east as possible in the direction of the buildings.

"Access from both sides with trucks is possible without any problems," promised Lenker at the meeting.

According to the planning documents presented, the roundabout has a total radius of 16 metres: the lane is six meters wide, plus an additional two-metre wide lane for trucks. In the middle is a green island with an eight-metre radius.

"All private driveways are possible," says Lenker.

Another advantage of the new planning: You gain an additional set-up area (traffic jam area) on Friedrich-Haindl-Straße in front of the level crossing.

Cyclists have also been thought of

The planning is partly under the direction of the state building authority, which is responsible for the district road, partly under the responsibility of the municipal building authority.

"We have had good experiences with roundabouts in many places in Schongau," says Mayor Falk Sluyterman.

Alexander Majaru also found the roundabout at this point to be good because the traffic was slowing down, but wanted to know, among other things, whether they were thinking of slowing down the traffic further down Peitinger Straße.

"The speeds are ordered by the district office," said Lenker, but he saw no reason to reduce the speed.

The planned roundabout at the entrance to UPM will move as far east as possible towards the residential area (on the right in the picture).

© Hans-Helmut Herold

The solution for cyclists was highly praised by the city council: "For the first time in Schongau, everyday cyclists are taken into account in the planning so that they can get through easily," says Bettina Buresch (Greens).

A cycle path on both sides along Peitinger Straße is planned.

While leisurely cyclists, such as a family with children, coming from the Lech Bridge can initially follow the cycle path at the roundabout and then switch to the other side of the road via a traffic island, everyday cyclists leave the cycle path marked in signal red just before the roundabout and can join them pass all other vehicles quickly.

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"The danger point at the Lech Bridge is also eliminated," praised Buresch, who at the same time hopes for a safe expansion for the area after the Mühlkanal Bridge.

It is planned that all cyclists heading towards Peiting should cross the road there.

“And people drive fast there,” Buresch feared.

"You have to look at that again in detail and discuss it with the city," said Lenker.

The roundabout is expected to be built next year

The suggestion by Oliver Kellermann (CSU), on the other hand, that the green in the roundabout could not be made smaller in terms of the radius, and that the roadway could be made two lanes so that cyclists and motorists could drive parallel, could not be implemented, said Lenker.

“I think it is critical to allow cyclists to overtake in roundabouts.” However, the city would be happy to make the interior more attractive.

The roundabout is not to be built until next year, as soon as the city of Schongau has completed its necessary urban development plan for the junction with Friedrich-Haindl-Straße, including the planned truck rest areas for the paper factory's suppliers (see info).

The traffic lights at the intersection with Dießener Strasse at the "Loamer Stichl" are to be installed this autumn.

Detailed information on this should follow, it said.

The City Council unanimously approved the updated version of the roundabout.

Anyone who is interested in the further planning of the truck parking spaces at UPM, which was briefly touched on by the city council in February: This will be presented on Monday, July 4th at 6 p.m. at an information event in the Ballenhaussaal.