Traffic - Frankfurt introduces 20 km/h on side streets in the city center
In future, a maximum speed limit of 20 km/h will be permitted on side streets in Frankfurt city center. The city wants to standardize the confusion of different speed limits and at the same time ensure better coexistence between different road users, as traffic department head Wolfgang Siefert (Greens) said on Tuesday when the first 20 km/h speed limit sign was installed near the Hauptwache.
The first step involves the area around the stock exchange. Große Eschenheimer Straße, Schillerstraße, Rahmhofstraße and Biebergasse will become the first "traffic-calmed business area". Until now, a mix of 50 km/h, 30 km/h, traffic-calmed zone and pedestrian zone applied.
Further areas around the cathedral and Kaiserplatz are to be re-signposted at the beginning of next year. Siefert emphasized that the affected streets are exclusively streets that lead to a dead end or a multi-storey parking lot, for example. Main roads such as Berliner Straße remain unaffected. The long-term goal is: 40 km/h on main roads in the city center, 20 km/h on side streets and 30 km/h in residential areas, according to Siefert.
"Traffic-calmed business areas do not mean any restrictions on mobility," emphasized the department head. "All parking garages and stores will of course remain accessible." However, the remaining parking spaces along the new 20 km/h streets will gradually be converted into delivery zones, disabled parking spaces or footpaths.
The department hopes that the measures will also make the city center more attractive. Pedestrians should be able to sit in a café or cross the street without cars speeding past, which are currently theoretically still allowed to drive 50 km/h at the Hauptwache. The 20 km/h speed limit also applies to e-scooters and cyclists.
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The initiative to reduce speed limits in Frankfurt's city center is not limited to side streets, as municipalities in Hesse, such as Frankfurt on the Main, are considering similar measures.
This move towards lower speed limits in busy city centers is part of a larger trend, with many cities worldwide adopting 20 km/h as the maximum speed in their city centers to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion.
The impact of these lower speed limits extends beyond the city center, as pedestrians in residential areas, such as those in Frankfurt, could also benefit from the increased focus on road safety and reduced traffic speeds.
Source: www.stern.de
