In 2020, ReVeAL partner Bielefeld started involving different stakeholders through intensive consultation in order to proceed with its UVAR plans.
On June 18, 2020, a majority of the City Council has approved a motion by the “Paprika Cooperation” of SPF, Greens, Citizens’ Party and Local Democrats to ensure that access to the old-town ring 9the “horseshoe”) will be better regulated to car traffic via bollards.
It’s about more quality of life in the old town
– Riza Öztürk (SPD)
As a result, the hospitality industry will most definitely profit from the 1.5 million euros plan, and other implementations of logistics solutions in the city will be further assessed.
A matter of contention or a better urban life?
Jasmin Wahl-Schwentker (FDP) said that before such a concept could be implemented, it would first have to be discussed with the people affected. “What do residents, merchants and delivery people say?”, she mentioned, “For them, the plan is first of all a shot from the hip“.
However, by eliminating unnecessary transit traffic and reducing source and destination traffic, there would be opportunities for a “new, better quality of life in the urban area”, according to the motion put to the vote by the Paprika partners.
The alliance partners are convinced that, from the point of view of traffic planning and urban development, a reduction in the volume of motor vehicles will make it possible to significantly increase the urbanity and quality of life in the “horseshoe”.
Jahnplatz gets re-styled and refreshed, too
The news on the motion came tight with the finalisation of the Jahnplatz conversion contract, which was awarded to the road construction company Strabag. For 13 million euros and within two years, it will therefore carry out the redesign of Bielefeld’s central square.
Jahnplatz will be closed to traffic and large-scale diversions will be signposted. One lane per direction will be available for bus, local and delivery traffic, while the Friedrich-Verleger-Straße will be completely closed during the first construction phase. Wilhelmstraße will then also not be accessible. A turning possibility will be established in Wilhelmstraße with exit via Kesselbrink. The Volksbank multi-storey car park in Wilhelmstraße, however, will still be accessible, and a diversion route for the blocked Friedrich-Verleger-Straße/Herforder Straße via Niederwall/Körnerstraße/Turnerstraße will be established. The bus lines that normally run through Friedrich-Verleger-Straße will also be diverted via these.
Original articles by Michael Schläger on the Westfalen Blatt
