Dispute over bicycle lanes in Berlin: Administration directs after protests

Dispute over bicycle lanes in Berlin: Administration directs after protests

dispute over bicycle lanes in Berlin-Reinickendorf

After violent protests, the Reinickendorf district office has given in the dispute over a wheel lane in Ollenhauerstrasse. The administration announced that the bicycle traffic facility "would be released promptly after intensive exams by the Senate Department for Transport". In addition, five other streets in Berlin were released for cycling projects, including the accident -prone Hermannstrasse in Neukölln.

Originally, the cycling strip on Ollenhauerstrasse had already been ordered last August. So far, around 180,000 euros have been spent, of which the federal government took over 75 percent. However, the new district councilor Julia Schrod-Thiel (CDU) had the markings invalid with yellow film and ordered that the bike lane will not be released for the time being. The reason was the search for a solution for planned delivery zones.

This decision caused protests and even led to an urgent procedure before the Berlin Administrative Court, which is supported by German Environmental Aid. The environmental aid employee, who is regularly traveling by bike in Ollenhauerstrasse, had objected to the return of the order.

After the decision announced on Monday, the plans that were developed under the former district councilor Korinna Stephan (Greens) for Ollenhauerstrasse are now being implemented. A compromise was found in which parking next to the wheel strip is made possible in rest periods. The Senate Department also announced that Ollenhauerstrasse is expected to be changed in 2026/2027 and that the current path is released with small changes for bicycle traffic until then.

The traffic senator Manja Schreiner (CDU) emphasized that Ollenhauerstrasse was a good example of factual traffic planning. The sharpness of the discussion about cycle paths should now be taken to find good solutions for urban traffic. Reinickendorf's district mayor Emine Demirbüken-Wegner (CDU) was also satisfied with the compromise and emphasized the importance of integrating residents and commercial areas.

In addition to the decision on Ollenhauerstrasse, the Senate Department announced that five other bicycle traffic projects can be implemented. These are the planned facilities in Hansastraße (2.16 km), Grellstraße in Pankow (2.47 km), Köpenicker Landstrasse in Treptow-Köpenick (3.6 km) and Hermannstrasse in Neukölln (1.42 km). A 50 meter long crossing of Hellersdorfer Straße in Marzahn-Hellersdorf can also be built. In contrast, the cycle path projects in Roedernallee in Reinickendorf and the Blankenfeld Chaussee in Pankow must be revised.

Overall, the dispute over cycling projects in Berlin has not yet been settled. There are other cases in which citizens want to proceed against stopping planned cycling lanes. For example, the environmental aid is considering taking action against the stop of the bicycle traffic project in Schöneberger Grunewaldstrasse. However, the affected citizens still have to be found.