Hitting the Brakes on Car Culture: Frankfurt Takes a New Direction with Mobility Masterplan
Frankfurt city assembly paves path for transportation transformation - City council in Frankfurt approves traffic modifications
📢 Heads Up! Frankfurt is shaking up its transportation game with the approval of the "Masterplan Mobility" by the city council. This move marks a considerable stride towards a revamped mobility scene.
🗣 In the Words of Wolfgang Siefert, Green's Transport Commissioner: This is a monumental milestone for Frankfurt.
Here's a peek at the key components of this groundbreaking plan:- Promoting Green Mobility: Prioritizing pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation is at the core of the model- Smart Traffic: Introduction of intelligent traffic management and improved logistics- Health and Safety: Emphasis on safety, health protection, and reduction of fatalities and serious injuries in road traffic
The goal? Make Frankfurt a more pedestrian-friendly, bike-friendly, and public transport-friendly city. By 2035, the focus will be on catering to the needs of these three modes of transport, with a target of 80% market share. That's a 17% increase from the 2018 figures.
Making Frankfurt a Mobile City: Stepping Up the Game
- Broadening Bike Lanes: Expansion of cycling infrastructure to encourage more people to hop on their bikes
- Public Transport Upgrade: Strengthening public transport networks and enhancing their efficiency
- Car-Free Zones: Establishment of low-traffic zones to reduce congestion and encourage alternative forms of transportation
- Raising Parking Fees: Implementing higher parking fees to discourage car usage
- Pedestrian and Logistics Officer: Appointing a dedicated official to oversee pedestrian and logistics matters
- Promoting Electric Mobility: Encouraging eco-friendly options through expanded electric vehicle adoption
- Car-Sharing Boost: Expansion of car-sharing offers to promote shared usage
A Sustainable Future: Climate Neutrality and Noise Reduction
Projected outcomes of this transformation include:1. Climate neutrality in the transportation sector by 20352. Reduction in noise pollution to create a quieter, more peaceful cityscape3. A significant decrease in road traffic fatalities and serious injuries
Critics from the opposition, such as the CDU, have raised concerns about the plan's perceived anti-car stance. Meanwhile, the business community has expressed worries about dampening customer, supplier, and employee support with a strict car policy.
The Masterplan Mobility serves as an update to the overall transport plan from 2005 and is in line with the EU's requirement for cities to submit sustainable mobility strategies by 2027. After lengthy negotiations, it was finally approved by the Römer coalition of Greens, SPD, FDP, and Volt in March 2023.
Frankfurt was among the first cities in Germany to publish such a comprehensive transport strategy, developed with input from the administration, science, and the public. Keep an eye out for updates on this game-changing endeavor!
- The approval of Frankfurt's "Masterplan Mobility" by the city council signifies a significant shift in the city's employment policy, focusing on mobility.
- The plan prioritizes employment policy changes towards promoting green mobility, highlighting the importance of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation.
- Frankfurt aims to achieve a market share of 80% for pedestrian-friendly, bike-friendly, and public transport-friendly cityscape by 2035, a 17% increase from 2018 figures.
- A key strategy in this plan involves broadening bike lanes to encourage more people to cycle, which is an employment policy related to home-and-garden and lifestyle.
- The city also plans to upgrade public transport networks and enhance their efficiency, an employment policy related to transportation and science.
- To reduce congestion, Frankfurt intends to establish low-traffic zones and car-free zones, an employment policy related to the environment-science and technology.
- The city council also plans to implement higher parking fees to discourage car usage, an employment policy related to finance and sustainable living.
- A pedestrian and logistics officer will be appointed to oversee pedestrian and logistics matters, an employment policy related to public-transit and industry.
- The plan encourages eco-friendly options through expanded electric vehicle adoption, an employment policy related to science, technology, and sustainable living.
