Expert exchange on urban development

Around 25 employees of the Erlangen city administration visited their colleagues in Jena on Saturday, 14.10.2023 and exchanged views on the topics of urban development, planning and mobility. The guests were particularly interested in the northern extension of the tramway in Jena - for current reasons.

The city of Erlangen, together with its neighboring cities and the surrounding area, is currently planning the construction of a connecting light rail network(https://www.stadtumlandbahn.de). In this context, 26 km of track are to be newly built or upgraded and 30 new stops are to be created. Accordingly, the exchange of ideas went into great detail. Among other things, questions concerning the construction of stops in the scarce public urban space were discussed. In addition, the current construction projects Erlenhöfe and Stadion as well as the Smart Quarter in Lobeda-Ost by jenawohnen were presented and the streetcar depot in Burgau was visited.

Professional exchange because of similarities

The professional exchange between Erlangen and Jena took place because the two cities are not only linked by a long-standing and close partnership, but also because they have many parallels. They are of similar size and are closely linked to a university, each of which has a major influence on the development of the city. Students form a significant part of the resident population and enliven the inner-city area in particular.

Both cities show a high development dynamic, which poses special challenges for urban planning and development. The main topics are, in particular, creating living space, upgrading and revitalizing the inner city and, of course, climate adaptation.

Learning from each other

"Town twinning offers a unique opportunity to promote professional and cultural exchange, economic cooperation and interpersonal relationships. Through dialogue and cooperation between different cities, we can learn from each other, broaden our horizons, and work together to find solutions to global challenges. Town twinning is a valuable tool for building a diverse and interconnected world in which we can all benefit from the experiences and ideas of others," emphasizes Mayor and Department Head for Urban Development Christian Gerlitz.

Accordingly, the city of Jena welcomes the professional exchange and a return visit of Jena planners to Erlangen is planned.

Background

The guests from Erlangen will be in Thuringia for a total of four days, visiting not only Jena but also the cities of Erfurt, Weimar and Apolda. The meeting in Jena took place in the StadtLab(https://www.stadtlab-jena.de). The open experimental space at Löbderstraße 6 not only offers space for such meetings, but in particular many opportunities for anyone who wants to try out a new business idea or innovative concept.

Oberbürgermeister Dr. Thomas Nitzsche begrüßte die Stadtplaner aus der Partnerstadt Erlangen und hob die Bedeutung des Austauschs auf Ebene der kommunalen Verwaltung hervor. © Stadt Jena Stadtplaner aus Erlangen und Jena informieren sich über aktuelle Projekte der Stadtentwicklung © Stadt Jena