A constant nuisance is the level crossing on Neubiberger Hauptstraße. Solutions have been discussed for years. © Harald Hettich
At least for cyclists and pedestrians, the area of Neubiberger Hauptstraße will be safer in the future.
Neubiberg – The level crossing in the area of Neubiberger Hauptstraße has been a nuisance for all road users for many years. Since 2015, the municipal council has been dealing with the question of how and whether improvements can be achieved here. Following the recent Council meeting, there are now at least some signs of progress.
Due to the project run-up for an already controversial railway lowering or road underpass in the crossing section, which has now been projected to almost ten years, the municipality and Deutsche Bahn's Netz AG have now worked out a split of "short-term solutions" and long-term plans after an on-site visit in the spring. The short-term approach, which is to be implemented as early as 2024 without time-consuming preliminary investigations if possible, could initially improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians in particular. The municipal council has unanimously decided to include appropriate funds for its own share of the costs in the 2023 budget.
This is possible in the short term
The short-term solution approach envisages three key points in particular. For example, the bicycle protection strip, which previously ended at Lindenallee, is to be continued further west to Floriansanger in the future. In the confluence area to the Floriansanger, the bicycle protection strip is then to be led onto the sidewalk with the additional sign "Cyclists free". Furthermore, it is planned to widen the sidewalk between Floriansanger and Hauptstraße in the northeastern segment by around one meter and to provide it with the additional sign for free bicycle traffic. Finally, the existing sidewalk on the north-west side of the main road is to be extended to around three metres plus a safety strip around 0.5 metres wide in order to open the sidewalk there to bicycle traffic.
This is what Deutsche Bahn is planning
Deutsche Bahn is also planning improvements. As the Netz-AG representative Arthur Zeller, who was present at the meeting, announced, "by 2024, the level crossing safety systems are to be renewed with a new barrier and new and improved traffic lights in the sensitive crossing intersection. Additional traffic lights are to be set up, especially for pedestrians, in order to inform them faster and better about barrier closures. "In addition, DB Netz AG will try to obtain permission for the installation of the so-called veloStrail surface in order to increase crossing safety for cyclists. The crossing channels, which are still wide today, could be filled in and thus lead to fewer crossing accidents. On the part of the Federal Railway Authority, this surface is only permitted for the passage of trains at a speed of 80 km/h instead of the usual 120 km/h. However, Zeller saw "hardly any obstacles" here in view of the situation of the nearby Neubiberg railway station with already slowed down travel speeds.
Underpass, lowering or nothing
The long-term design on site will be much more difficult. In local election campaigns, the choice between "those three variants" has so far been regularly controversial, which Mayor Thomas Pardeller (CSU) once again illustrated in the municipal council. "Nothing is fixed" currently with a view to a possible lowering of the railway line in the crossing section. The second alternative would be an underpass for car, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. "Or nothing happens because everything would be too expensive," emphasized the head of the town hall. According to Zeller, "about nine years" and thus almost a decade would have to be estimated as a lead time for such a measure anyway. So it's a dream of the future.
Looking for the most cost-effective solution
After all, the cost estimates for such a mammoth project have developed in favor of the municipality since 2021 following an amendment to the so-called Railway Crossing Act: While municipalities used to share a third of the project costs, the federal government (half of the project), the railways (one third) and the Free State (one sixth) now share them. However, according to Zeller, the railway is always obliged to carry out "the most economical solution".
There was unanimity in the Council on how to proceed with an agreement on long-term planning in addition to short-term solutions. In addition to traffic counts, environmental checks and reference to regional planning, acceptance in the neighbourhood should also be surveyed, according to Pardeller. It will take some time anyway.
