From December 6 to 31, 2023, Bonn residents will therefore have the opportunity to take part in a survey at www.bonn-macht-mit.de/bertha (opens in a new tab). There will be further opportunities for participation in mid-2024 when the first draft plans are presented.
Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz was completely redesigned between 2005 and 2008. The barrier-free central platforms for the light rail and streetcar are a great asset and have become well established. However, the traffic situation for cars, bicycles and buses is not always smooth. There are often complaints, which is why the city of Bonn wants to make improvements here and redistribute the road space. The aim of the measure is to create a safe and intuitive traffic flow for all road users.
The project is currently in the initial planning phase and is to be implemented at a later date than the renovation of Adenauerallee. Even at this early planning stage, the city of Bonn wants to take on board the suggestions of Bonn residents and take them into account in the planning. With this in mind, the City of Bonn is launching an early online participation process from December 6 to 31, 2023. People of all ages are invited to contribute their perspectives and suggestions on the current and future traffic routing. The survey can be accessed via the following link: www.bonn-macht-mit.de/bertha. (opens in a new tab) In addition, the administration will approach people on site at Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz one morning and one afternoon and ask for their opinions.
Even though the primary aim is to adapt the traffic routing, there will also be an opportunity to make suggestions for the further design of the square in addition to traffic issues. The city will subsequently examine the extent to which these can be taken into account as part of the new traffic planning.
The first draft plans are expected to be available in mid-2024. In addition to the presentation of these plans to politicians, citizens will also be involved again as part of a participation process.
Why is new planning necessary?
As part of the Bonn Cycling Dialogue 2017, more than 2,300 suggestions for improving the city's cycling infrastructure were submitted by Bonn residents. Bertha-von-Suttner Platz is one of the most frequently mentioned cycle routes in the city that cyclists perceive as particularly unsafe.
The east-west axis, i.e. the traffic routing along federal highway 56 through the Bonn city area, is one of the most accident-prone routes for cyclists. In addition to Bertha-von-Suttner Platz, accidents occur particularly frequently along other junctions on the B56, including Herrmannstraße, Professor-Neu-Allee and Am Boeslagerhof. In addition to adapting the traffic routing on Berta-von-Suttner-Platz, an office is therefore also working on a feasibility study to improve the traffic situation between Kennedybrücke and Combahnstraße. These adjustments are of particular importance for traffic safety.
For this reason, the traffic routing in the Am Alten Friedhof and Oxfordstrasse section was already redistributed in August 2022 as part of the road surface renovation. The traffic trial taking place on Hermann-Wandersleb-Ring and the redistribution of lanes on Viktoriabrücke bridge are also part of the planning for the east-west axis.
The administration is also currently examining the establishment of environmental lanes on Endenich Straße.