Citizens' survey on the Weilheim bypass: you should know that

Created: 09/18/2022, 15:33

By: Magnus Reitinger

An overview of the route variants officially found to be relevant for the planned “B2 Weilheim bypass”.

© State Building Authority Weilheim

Over 20,100 residents of Weilheim are called upon to give their opinion on the planned bypass: the long-planned citizen survey has begun.

We explain what you need to know.

Weilheim - There's no question about it: The issue of the "bypass" moves the people of Weilheim - and it polarizes them.

This is shown by the many letters to the editor on the subject in the local newspaper, hundreds of comments on social networks and the fact that five different citizens' initiatives have been set up to prevent or enforce a bypass Citizens' survey, for which voting cards have been sent out since last week.

An election campaign with everything that goes with it: lots of banners and posters, information stands and advertisements, statements and press talks - and unfortunately sometimes with half-truths, with overly rosy promises or somewhat exaggerated fears.

No bypass against the citizens

This citizen survey should not be confused with an election.

The city emphasizes that their result “is not legally binding”.

But it is "respected by the Weilheim city council as a wish of the citizenry and sent to the state building authority as an opinion of the city of Weilheim," says the accompanying letter from the city hall.

The result is always important.

Because it is the first broad mood picture ever.

And: Representatives of the state building authority responsible for the planning have repeatedly assured that a "B 2 local bypass Weilheim" - which has been in the Federal Transport Route Plan since 2016 with "urgent need" - would not be built against the will of the city.

These two questions are asked

The citizens' survey is now to determine this will by October 12 - as "an important building block in the context of the overall assessment on the further path to the variant decision" (see box below).

The questionnaire asks two questions.

“Are you basically in favor of building a bypass in Weilheim?” is the first.

According to the city council resolution, only those who answer this with “yes” should also tick the second question.

Here the question is asked about the "personal favourite" among the route variants that the State Building Authority has examined and in principle considers to be feasible, effective, environmentally friendly, economical, i.e. worth building.

After the authorities long ago sorted out a central tunnel as "uneconomical", a total of eight options are now listed here: two variants of a western bypass (long and short) and six variants of an eastern bypass (close to and far from town, each with different tunnel versions).

All are briefly explained in a leaflet from the state building authority, which the city encloses with the survey documents.

Bypass Weilheim: Exact routes are not yet available

Of course, only “the possible route corridors” are shown, according to the building authority: “The exact location can only be determined in the course of the following planning phases.” To date, for example, it is unclear how a local eastern bypass in the area of ​​the new car dealership building on Deutenhausener Straße would run.

There is also no further information on the nature of any tunnels.

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Strong focus on the fundamental question

Against this background, various parties are currently emphasizing that question 1 of the public survey - whether a bypass should be built in principle - is the decisive one.

A lot has changed since the first attempt at a Weilheim bypass survey two and a half years ago.

Such a strong focus on the fundamental question was not noticeable when the first citizen survey began in February 2020 - probably also because a central tunnel was also up for election at the time.

As is well known, the survey was canceled and pulped at the time because there were errors in the leaflet at the time.

That is snow from yesterday.

Now it's time: Over 20,100 Weilheimers (all residents aged 16 and over) can now have a say in an important part of urban development.

And they should use this chance.

This is how it goes after the survey

According to the city administration, the completed response cards for the citizen survey must be posted “in the local mailboxes or directly in the mailbox at Weilheim Town Hall” by October 12th at the latest.

The counting is carried out by the parliamentary group chairmen and group spokespersons of the city council together with the mayor, his two deputies and city hall employees.

The result of the citizens' survey is "respected by the Weilheim city council as a wish of the citizens and sent to the state building authority as an opinion or 'attitude' of the city of Weilheim," explains Mayor Markus Loth.

The results are to be announced “probably in October 2022”.

The Weilheim State Building Authority will then determine a priority road in coordination with the federal and state transport ministries “after weighing up all relevant interests”.

If this does not correspond to the "attitude" of the city (i.e. the result of the survey), "another dialogue process between the city, the state building authority and the federal government" follows - as it says.

If they agree, the next phase of the project could begin: the detailed design planning, for which a period of two to three years is given.

Further steps would be approval planning (plan approval) and tendering/awarding.

Construction would probably start in 12 to 15 years at the earliest.

A referendum would be "possible if a vote is to be taken on a single question or on a route variant," says Loth.