Enhanced Security Levels
Improved Cycling Safety on Am Trippelsberg in Reisholzer Harbor
A protected bike lane (PBL) project is underway on Am Trippelsberg, a busy street in the industrial area of Reisholzer Harbor. The initiative aims to enhance cyclist safety by physically separating cyclists from heavy truck traffic and parked vehicles, addressing long-standing safety concerns in this area.
The PBL will establish a fully protected bike lane, with physical separation elements preventing trucks from encroaching into the bike lane, thus mitigating common conflicts and hazards. This is particularly crucial in the stretch from Reisholzer Werftstraße to Karweg, where intense freight traffic operates, and where cyclists currently face significant risks.
The project's decision was made on May 27, 2020, following community pressure and traffic studies, including independent traffic counts by a local citizens’ initiative. The PBL will run between Bonner Straße and Karweg, and the "Am Trippelsberg" bus stops will also undergo a barrier-free expansion, financed from the local public transport allowance, amounting to approximately 100,000 euros.
The new bike lanes will be two-way and each 1.95 meters wide, with a 20-centimeter-wide separation element added to separate them from the main traffic flow. The separation element will be a 10-centimeter-high separation kerb, applied at a distance of one meter in the middle of the two boundary lines.
The roadway will remain 6.50 meters wide, and the supply of separation elements is currently experiencing bottlenecks. The marking work for the new bike lane is expected to be completed by the beginning of next week, and the barrier-free expansion of the "Am Trippelsberg" bus stop has already begun as part of the bike lane project.
The total costs for the bike lane project are around 250,000 euros, and approximately 150,000 euros for the project are funded through the promotion of cycling. The separation kerb has a concave, ramp-like profile on the bike lane side and the height and appearance of a curb on the road side, making it easily visible due to its black and white design. Red bike lane markings with pictograms will be placed at intersections and before driveways.
Traffic Commissioner Cornelia Zuschke and the head of the Traffic Management Office, Florian Reeh, have visited the site to assess the planned new bike route. The project directly addresses the safety problems on Am Trippelsberg by upgrading the bike infrastructure and encouraging cycling, especially in the face of dangers posed by heavy truck operations and parking obstructions in the harbor/industrial zone.
[1] Source: [Local News Outlet] (URL)
