There's a lot to criticize about Autobahns, but when they're cordoned off by the police, they're great for cycling.

Especially when the route is slightly downhill and offers a good view, like that part of the A 661 that runs in a wide arc between the Friedberger Landstraße and Ratsweg junctions.

The almost 500 cyclists, according to the organizers 600 cyclists, glide along quickly without having to pedal.

In a way, they deserve it, because before that, starting at the Mainkai, they had climbed the Oeder Weg and the Friedberger Landstraße.

Matthew Trautsch

Coordination report Rhein-Main.

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However, this Saturday is not about the fun of cycling, but about the political message.

What it says can be read on the signs attached to the luggage racks: "Stop motorway (expansion) construction!

Forest instead of asphalt.” A broad alliance of environmental, climate protection and transport associations called for the demonstration on two, sometimes even three wheels.

Their protest is directed against the transport policy of the state and federal government, specifically against the planned Riederwald tunnel, which is intended to close the gap between the A 661 and the A 66.

"While the climate is heating up faster and faster, the Green Minister of Transport in Hesse and the FDP Federal Minister of Transport want to push through the construction of the A-66 extension and the destruction of the Fechenheim Forest.

We won't allow that," says Alexis Passadakis from "Ende Gelände Frankfurt".

Rüdiger Hansen from the BUND considers the tunnel plan to be unconstitutional, "because it does not show how future generations could be protected from the climate impact of such projects".

Rainer Frey from the Riederwald citizens' initiative points out the clearing that is planned in Kastanienallee at Erlenbruch, in Teufelsbruch and in Fechenheimer Wald for the construction of the motorway.

These are parts of the protected Frankfurt green belt, such a "self-destruction" must be prevented.

Conflict has been smoldering since the 1970s

On the way to the A 661, the Corso stopped at another controversial place in Frankfurt's urban development: on Friedberger Landstraße in front of the area that the demonstrators call the "green lung".

The "Günthersburghöfe" residential area was actually supposed to be built there, but this initially failed due to protests from climate protectionists and garden owners.

Carmen Junge from Attac Frankfurt describes this as a "great success and a blueprint for the Fechenheimer Wald".

An important natural area was preserved and "high-priced housing for pure profit maximization" was prevented.

All age groups are represented among the cyclists, including families with children, but also older people who have been protesting against the motorway project in the east of Frankfurt for decades.

The conflict has been smoldering since the 1970s, and earlier plans for an even more extensive "Alleen Tunnel" have long since been shelved.

With the Riederwald tunnel, however, things are now getting serious. From the A 661 you can see the Erlenbruch triangle under construction, which is intended to lead the motorway through the tunnel to the A 66 in the direction of Hanau and Fulda.

The demonstrators reject the fact that the residents of the Riederwald would be relieved of through traffic as propaganda from the car lobby.

Rather, there is a risk of a "mega construction site" lasting up to 15 years, after which traffic would increase sharply, for example on Friedberger and Hanauer Landstrasse.

After two and a half hours, the Corso arrives at its destination, the Fechenheim Forest.

"Forest squatters" have been building tree houses there since September last year to protest against the deforestation of the section in question.

"The forest has become our home to escape the madness of capitalism," says a speaker who calls herself "Zwille."

If the clearing machines should move in the upcoming autumn, then the forest squatters would oppose them.