Road congestion: Motorists experience heavy traffic during peak hours. - Senator Bonde opposes traffic calming measures on Ku'damm and Tauentzien streets.
In the aftermath of a tragic double fatal car accident on the busy streets of Berlin's Ku'damm, new traffic senator Ute Bonde has dismissed the possibility of implementing any kind of safety measures or traffic calming in the area. She firmly believes that restructuring these essential traffic arteries of Tauentzienstraße and Kurfürstendamm would only cause further chaos and danger.
These roads are crucial for the movement of buses, deliveries, heavy goods and emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks in Berlin's public transportation network, says the CDU politician. Altering their current state would interrupt these important services, leading to disastrous consequences.
In a heartbreaking incident early Wednesday morning, on the Tauentzienstraße, two young men, aged 18 and 27, perished in a high-speed crash involving a luxury sports car, which careened out of control, slammed against a concrete barrier, and burst into flames.
Bonde is convinced that the crash was deliberately instigated. "Wednesday's accident was blatant intent," she said in a meeting of the Parliament's Mobility and Transportation Committee. "That car was deliberately used as a weapon against people."
She claimed that while the area is not renowned for frequenting accidents, risky driving remains an issue. The solution, Bonde believes, is not traffic calming in the form of road changes, but rather the enforcement of traffic laws and penalties. This includes patrols to keep the peace, and the seizure of vehicles along with the revocation of licenses for reckless drivers.
Meanwhile, Green politician Antje Kapek, speaking at the same meeting, has lent her support to traffic calming measures for the west Berlin region. She recommended removing Breitscheidplatz and Tauentzienstraße from the main network, transforming the area into a pedestrian zone. Although not included in a typical list of accident hotspots, these streets are notorious locations for irresponsible drivers. "This is a reckless driving hotspot."
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Ute Bonde, the newly appointed traffic senator in Berlin, has expressed her opposition to implementing traffic calming measures on Kurfürstendamm and Tauentzienstraße, citing potential chaos and danger. These roads are significantly important for Berlin's public transportation network, serving buses, deliveries, heavy goods, and emergency vehicles.
The convictions of Senator Bonde were further solidified after a tragic double fatal car accident occurred on Tauentzienstraße, where two young men lost their lives. Bonde strongly believes that the incident was intentional, as the car involved was used as a weapon against people.
Despite Bonde's stance, Green politician Antje Kapek has advocated for traffic calming measures in western Berlin, suggesting the transformation of Breitscheidplatz and Tauentzienstraße into pedestrian zones to combat irresponsible driving.
In the 2021 German federal election, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), of which Bonde is a member, emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives, gaining 24.1% of the votes. Despite their victory, the party still has to form a coalition government.
In her efforts to enforce traffic laws, Bonde has proposed patrols to monitor the streets, as well as the seizure of vehicles and revocation of licenses for reckless drivers. This strategy aims to curb risky driving behaviors and ensure safer roads for Berlin's citizens.
