The traffic turnaround in Wiesbaden should also progress quickly on two wheels.

The budget coalition of the Greens, SPD, Left Party and Volt therefore agreed in November to continue the ambitious cycle path program, the budget of which was set at ten euros per inhabitant.

That adds up to 2.9 million euros annually.

A considerable amount, with which the Hessian state capital wants to reduce the deficit in private transport.

At around seven percent, the proportion of bicycle traffic is low compared to other major German cities.

This is also the case in the analysis part of the parking space concept for Wiesbaden just presented.

Oliver Bock

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Rheingau-Taunus district and for Wiesbaden.

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The fact that there are significantly fewer cyclists in Wiesbaden than in Mainz, for example, can be explained by the insufficient connection between the local districts, gaps in the cycle path network and the “hilly topography”, coupled with the road network that is well developed for cars.

It is said that this makes cycling less attractive, even for shorter distances.

However, there are bright spots.

The new environmental lane on the first ring has increased the attractiveness for cyclists and led to a slight increase in bicycle traffic.

In the past five years, Wiesbaden has designated around 40 kilometers of cycle paths and cycle lanes, set up environmental lanes and implemented a “basic cycle network”.

According to the traffic department, in 2020 the network in Wiesbaden comprised almost 147 kilometers of cycle paths and cycle lanes, including 26 kilometers of designated field and farm roads.

Despite the high costs, the municipal bicycle rental system has been steadily expanded.

More than 1000 parking spaces have been installed.

And when the Mauritius-Höfe become reality on the site of the former Citypassage, then Wiesbaden will finally have a bicycle parking garage and bicycle workshop.

Upgrade leisure and school routes

With its financial commitment, Wiesbaden wants to significantly increase the proportion of cycling in the total traffic volume.

This goal is described in the cycling concept formulated in 2015.

Cycling should finally be fun and safer in a city that has so far been dominated by cars.

On the basis of the concept, a coherent cycling network is to be gradually linked.

How serious Wiesbaden is about this is shown by the founding of the city bike office in 2018, which coordinates the expansion steps and provides additional impetus.

From the point of view of the administration, this has proven itself.

Among other things, reference is made to the "Bike Climate Test 2020", in which the city came last for the first time and took a respectable seventh place among 26 municipalities in its size category of up to 500,000 inhabitants.

Traffic Director Andreas Kowol (Die Grünen), who, as a passionate cyclist, brings his two-wheeler to many public appointments, sees a "tailwind" for cycling in Wiesbaden.

Therefore, the promotion of cycling will be continued at an unchanged pace.

Kowol announces a series of cycling projects to fill gaps in the city's cycle path network and upgrade leisure, everyday and school routes in the city.

Kowol's concept includes additional parking spaces, additional secured bike lanes ("Protected Bike Lanes") and a new edition of the well-received urban cargo bike purchase bonus.

Wiesbaden also wants to continue participating in the "City Cycling" competition.

Last year, cycle paths and cycle lanes along New-York-Strasse, Steinern-Strasse (Kostheim/Kastel), Luisenstrasse, on the median of the First Ring, on Oranienstrasse, Wilhelmstrasse and Elisabethenstrasse (regional park route) were newly created or upgraded been.

Closing gaps, protecting cyclists

This year, the upcoming new building of the Elisabeth-Selbert-School, for which the groundbreaking ceremony will be held in a few days, requires the expansion of the cycle network in Willi-Werner-Straße.

Bike lanes are to be provided on both sides of the street to ensure safe school traffic.

In the "Rheinufer" street in Kastel, conflicts between cyclists and cars are to be defused by setting up a protective strip for cyclists uphill on the connecting ramp between Reduit and Hochkreisel and car parking there is no longer necessary.

A cycle lane will be set up on Klingholzstraße from the main train station in the direction of Biebricher Allee uphill to protect slow cyclists from dangerous overtaking by cars.

The Graf-Hülsen-Weg between Idsteiner Straße and the Platte is to be expanded to make cycling there safer.

A gap in the cycle path network will be closed in Schwalbacher Strasse and the connection between the cycle path coming from the south on Schwalbacher Strasse to Emser Strasse and Coulinstrasse will be established.

The western main street in Mainz-Kostheim will be opened to cycle traffic in the opposite direction in order to be able to connect the surrounding cycle paths.

Along the regional park route "Elisabethenstraße" in Delkenheim, the system path will be asphalted in the section between Pfarrmorgenweg and Münchener Straße.