City Council adopts Jena 2035+ cycling plan

At its meeting yesterday, Thursday, the Jena City Council confirmed the Jena 2035+ cycling plan by a majority vote, thereby confirming the conceptual basis for further planning measures in the cycling network.

"This decision is an important step towards strengthening cycling in Jena and creating a safe and attractive cycling network. The very well-received public participation and the overwhelmingly positive feedback show that this issue is of great public interest. The new cycling plan now takes account of the growing importance of cycling in Jena," emphasizes Christian Gerlitz, Mayor and Head of the Department for Urban Development and the Environment.

Challenges and compromises

The Jena 2035+ cycling plan comprises a total of approx. 120 point-based and approx. 250 route-based proposals for measures. In the various consultations on the cycling plan, it became clear that a plan that fully meets the requirements of all interest groups is almost impossible to achieve. The draft presented is therefore primarily a technically justified compromise. Difficulties arise in particular due to the limited public space, which can hardly be extended. In addition, there are often topographical or historical sections of the city that are important for all types of traffic and where it is not possible to create the necessary traffic spaces for cycling. This is the case in parts of Kahlaische Straße, for example.

For some problem areas, solutions have been identified that require a high degree of willingness to compromise on the part of all parties involved in order to be implemented, such as the design of Fürstengraben. Some measures also present other hurdles, such as the planned Jena-Ost district bridge, for which nature conservation issues must also be examined. The new bridge to be built is intended to provide a fast and direct route for bicycle traffic from Jena East to the new Inselplatz campus. Solutions must be found for all of these measures in the subsequent planning process.

Project goals of the Jena 2035+ cycling plan

The first step in implementing the cycling plan is to develop a cycling network that connects all areas of the city and residential areas with key workplaces, schools, important public transport stops, leisure destinations and everyday destinations (shopping, shopping, restaurants, etc.) and also links these destinations with each other

In the second step, a prioritized programme of measures with a rough estimate of the cost framework is drawn up as a basis for decision-making by politicians and administrators for the definition of investment programmes and the provision of budget funds.

Background

In a resolution dated 17.02.2021 (20/0660-BV), the city council commissioned the city administration to update the 2012 cycling concept. The planning company RV-K mbH was commissioned to develop the concept as part of a tendering process.

Comprehensive public participation

The 2035+ cycling plan was drawn up with broad public participation. The first online participation took place in March 2022 with the opportunity to submit reports regarding missing cycling facilities, deficiencies in existing cycling facilities, danger spots and the need for parking facilities. Participation was extremely high with a total of almost 1,000 people reporting and over 2,700 reports received.

In September 2022, the 2nd online participation for the evaluation of measures took place. The proposed measures shown and described in an online map could be evaluated and commented on. Over 1,300 comments were received, with around 7,900 positive and around 1,400 negative ratings. All comments can still be viewed online.

The local district councils were able to obtain information and get involved at four meetings and at a participation workshop on 10.01.2023.

In the course of processing, two coordination meetings took place in the nature conservation advisory board and one coordination meeting with the BMB's barrier-free building and housing working group. A total of eight interim status reports were given at the meetings of the Cycling Advisory Board.

On 23.08.2023, the final presentation meeting took place in the Rathausdiele for the advisory boards to be involved and the Radentscheid team to present the draft final report of the Jena 2035+ cycling plan. The Advisory Council for Cycling, the Advisory Council for People with Disabilities, the Advisory Council for Senior Citizens, the Advisory Council for Nature Conservation, the Advisory Council for Climate Protection, the Advisory Council for Motor Vehicle Traffic and Team Radentscheid were invited. The advisory boards were then able to submit comments, which were taken into account in the finalization of the cycling plan.