By Isabel Pancake
Much opposition to the anti-car redesign of Bergmannstrasse! On Tuesday, two lawsuits against the green district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg were heard before the administrative court.
Since July 2021, the popular Bergmannstraße has been: one-way street for drivers, two lanes for cyclists and speed limit 10 for everyone! The district wanted to create a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly promenade.
Christoph Herrmann (56) complained – he wants to tip Tempo 10 for cyclists. “Nobody cares anyway. And yet we are already having significantly fewer accidents thanks to the other measures,” he says. He confirmed to BZ: “I would like to drive a little faster.”
At his required speed of 20 he would save 45 seconds on the way to work.
Stefan Z. also complained: The one-way street has to go. He has lived in the adjacent Nostitzstrasse since 2004. “The noise pollution has increased considerably since the redesign,” says the plaintiff.
Christoph Herrmann (56) complained about Tempo 10 for cyclists in Bergmannstrasse Photo: Isabel Pancake
The reason: The delivery traffic in the morning can no longer drive through Bergmannstrasse, so they switch to the small, cobblestone side street.
This is also confirmed by the traffic measurements taken by the Roads and Parks Department.
Judge Heike Grigoleit dismissed both lawsuits: “For such traffic calming, you always need a special danger prevention situation. The police have marked Bergmannstrasse as the accident black spot.”
Between 2018 and 2020 there were 89 accidents involving 175 people. Four were seriously injured, 23 slightly – all were cyclists. Since the redesign, only one cyclist has been seriously injured and two slightly injured.
After all, two so-called Berlin cushions – similar to a speed bump – are to be installed in Nostitzstrasse this year to reduce noise.