For the 17 business owners and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who are now writing an open letter to Frankfurt's head of transport, Stefan Majer, there is no doubt: their street, Töngesgasse, is "still a functional individual shopping street".

To keep it that way, they call on the Green City Council to examine their proposals and “comments on the city plans”.

Because the entrepreneurs are concerned that after the redesign of the Oeder Weg and the now very concrete plans for the Grüneburgweg, the Töngesgasse will be the next street from which car traffic and with it the parking spaces could disappear - all in favor of more space for Pedestrians, cyclists and outdoor catering.

Mechthild Harting

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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"We are not a high-frequency location with very many passers-by like Zeil, Freßgass' or Neue Kräme," the open letter says.

Rather, the alley, which has long been declared a bicycle street, is characterized by the unusual range of shops, including many traditional businesses.

Therefore, it does not need much traffic space for pedestrians.

On the contrary: The business owners, who have joined forces in the Töngesgasse interest group, see accessibility with all means of transport as an "advantage for Töngesgasse as a retail location".

What's more, this accessibility is "one of the most important prerequisites for their success".

Last but not least, they refer to the increasing number of electric cars,

"Not against the interests of the dealers"

"We are pleased about the participation of the business owners and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) in the process of improving the traffic situation in Töngesgasse as part of the city center," said Wolfgang Siefert, right-hand man of the traffic department.

After all, the city does not want to work against the interests of those who make up the shopping location with the new traffic regulations it is aiming for, but want to achieve improvements with them.

In mid-March, the traffic department presented its proposals for traffic regulation in Töngesgasse and its surroundings to the responsible local advisory board.

Majer had made it clear that he wanted to prevent unnecessary through-traffic above all - such as the journeys of those who were looking for a parking space, although there were five parking garages within walking distance.

And he wants to make the street unattractive for car posers, who are currently making their rounds on Töngesgasse, Hasengasse, Holzgraben and past Stoltzeplatz.

City wants to introduce 20 km/h

As Siefert explained, the plan does not actually provide for any parking spaces, but rather generous loading zones for delivery traffic, which always includes the customer who wants to transport purchases.

There are also disabled parking spaces.

According to the traffic department, more trees and green strips could be created, especially on the north side of the street, including outdoor gastronomy for the Café Mozart, which is popular with the Frankfurt mayor.

"We want to improve the situation for the shops, promote their delivery traffic and make the street even more attractive," said Siefert.

In fact, Töngesgasse is currently suffering from the fact that the footpaths are relatively narrow and the traffic on the street is brisk.

If the traffic department had its way, traffic entering the street at Stoltzeplatz would in future be guided in such a way that only vehicles coming from the north could enter.

At the same time, at the intersection of Töngesgasse and Hasengasse, it would no longer be possible to turn north towards Hasengasse.

In addition, the city wants to completely block the narrow sharpening alley at the Capuchin monastery Liebfrauen for traffic.

And she would like to introduce a speed limit of 20 on the entire Töngesgasse.

But it is precisely these traffic regulations that are met with a lack of understanding by business people and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Above all, the fact that future access from Kornmarkt to Bleidenstrasse, which leads on to Töngesgasse, will no longer be possible, has received a lot of criticism.

This causes major detours for customers and suppliers.

In addition, the shopkeepers fear that the "important and indispensable car customers for the shopping street will be absent".

In addition, the visibility of the shops would suffer.

During the presentation to the local advisory board, Sibylle Zolles, chairwoman of the Töngesgasse interest group, pointed out that, in her opinion, a lot of traffic looking for a parking space would be attracted because there were hardly any controls and traffic tickets.