The term "Radschnellroute" (fast cycle route) was chosen by the Bonn administration to define main cycle routes on which cyclists can make good, safe and rapid progress. The name is based on the fast cycle route standard of the state of NRW. The most important elements are the separate routing of bicycle and pedestrian traffic as well as sufficiently wide paths for both pedestrians and cyclists (at least 2.5 meters for pedestrians, at least four meters for cyclists in bidirectional traffic).

These are not cycle highways or lanes that are to be cut into the landscape for cycle traffic. These main cycle routes are suitable for routes on which constant interruptions due to traffic lights or crossings can be avoided.

The term "Radschnellroute" is the technically correct term for the ERDF-funded project and is based on the cycle highway standard of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. However, as it is misleading and is often misunderstood as a "lane", "route" or "cycle highway" that divides the landscape, the term "Radschnellroute" has been renamed to mean what it originally meant: cycle routes that meet today's requirements and standards for cycle paths.

No, the existing paths are to be widened. A completely new route would not be compatible with the design of the park or with the preservation order. In addition, unnecessary further sealing of land should be avoided.

Many of the characteristics of a fast cycle route already exist in the Rheinaue: Separate routing of cycle and pedestrian traffic is possible, and the route is uninterrupted, in this case even completely separate from car traffic. However, the paths are not yet wide enough or of the quality to accommodate the additional volume of bicycle and pedestrian traffic that is planned for the future.

The Bonn Rheinaue is an approximately 160-hectare landscaped park that was created in the mid-1970s on the occasion of the 1979 Federal Garden Show along the Rhine at the Konrad Adenauer Bridge. In 2017, the Rheinauenpark was placed under a preservation order by the Cologne district government. A press release stated the following:

"In order to allow future generations to experience this park in all its uniqueness, we will protect this park as an architectural monument (...)", said District President Gisela Walsken. "It was important to us to preserve the various uses of the Rheinaue as well as to enable further development of the park in the future," emphasizes Ashok Sridharan, Mayor of Bonn. "We have achieved this through a corresponding agreement with the district government."

The cycle paths in Bonn's Rheinaue have a width of around 1.80 to 2 meters. This is well below the minimum widths specified in the applicable regulations such as the "Recommendations for Cycling Facilities" (ERA). The widths of the paths therefore no longer meet current standards. New cycle paths with such narrow widths should no longer be built today.

The reality is that two cyclists meeting each other have to ride close together, with just a few centimeters between the handlebars. Overtaking is often not possible. If two wider bikes meet, such as bikes with child trailers or cargo bikes, cyclists even have to swerve onto the green space. In addition, the paths are in need of renovation some 40 years after they were built. The surface is uneven and raised by roots in many places. It therefore makes sense to renovate and widen the paths at the same time.

No. The term "fast cycle route" comes from the fast cycle route standard of the state of NRW. This standard primarily means that cyclists and pedestrians are offered clearly separated routes of sufficient width. The idea behind cycle highways is not to create routes for speeding cyclists, but to create safe cycle paths for everyone. A bike with a trailer and a cargo bike that meet must have sufficient space. Nobody should have to brake suddenly because the path is too narrow. Even children, who don't always concentrate on cycling straight ahead, will be safer on the road. Faster cyclists should be able to overtake slower cyclists with sufficient distance. Pedestrians will then be able to walk undisturbed and unconcerned on their own paths.

40 years after its construction, the road surface is not in good condition in many places and is in need of repair. There are also numerous cracks and upheavals caused by tree roots, which can endanger cyclists and cause falls. In addition, the condition of the cycle paths means that in many places cyclists use the footpaths, some of which are better, and pedestrians use the cycle path to walk closer to the Rhine. Both behaviors often lead to conflict situations between road users.

The aim was to develop the paths along the Rhine as a "fast cycle route", based on the fast cycle route standard of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, without fully meeting this standard. The cycle highway standard offers cyclists and pedestrians clearly separated paths of sufficient width (cycle path four meters, footpath 2.5 meters).

The plans as part of the funding project envisaged an expansion of the existing cycle-only path directly on the bank from around two to four meters between Charles-de-Gaulle-Platz and south of the Konrad Adenauer Bridge. In the direction of Plittersdorf, the cycle paths and footpaths running above were to be swapped and extended.

The future cycle paths should be four meters wide and the future footpaths 2.5 meters wide. The current cycle path directly on the banks of the Rhine, which is too narrow, was to become a footpath only in this section. This seemed sensible as the path is already popular with joggers and walkers. In addition, widening the cycle path directly on the bank would have meant a massive intervention in the tree population with a lot of felling.

Only on the southern section in the area of Haus Carstanjen should - as is currently the case - a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists be designated, which should be slightly widened. Here too, tree locations and monument protection were taken into account, as is customary in all traffic planning. In order to avoid conflicts on this shared space, signs and ground markings should be used to promote mutual consideration.

An exemption under nature conservation law pursuant to Section 67 BNatSchG is required for the implementation of the project approved by the Council in 2019 (see  meeting documents, draft resolution number 1910687). Following further planning development and technical examination of the measure, the Lower Nature Conservation Authority at the City of Bonn wanted to grant the exemption. The Lower Nature Conservation Authority and the Nature Conservation Advisory Board were involved in the project from the outset and were particularly involved in the planning of several sections of the cycle highway. At its meeting on March 12, 2019, the Nature Conservation Advisory Board declared its support in principle for the overall project, subject to certain requirements and objectives.

However, at its meeting on May 17, 2021, the Bonn Nature Conservation Advisory Board did not grant the approval requested by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority for an exemption under nature conservation law for a section of the cycle highway in the Rheinaue floodplain on the left bank of the Rhine (the draft resolution on this can be found in the  meeting documents under number 202253). The Bonn City Council then decided on June 28, 2021 that it considered the objection of the Nature Conservation Advisory Board to be unjustified and that (in accordance with the LNatSchG NRW) the Higher Nature Conservation Authority at the Cologne District Government should now decide on the exemption (see draft resolution number 202253-03). The higher nature conservation authority has not approved this application. Therefore, the planning cannot be implemented as decided.

The administration is currently examining an alternative guideline-compliant route through the Rheinaue, but is now deviating from the widths specified in the cycle highway standards in order to reduce the impact on the trees as far as possible.

The existing paths are already very popular with cyclists. Of course, cyclists can also take the road. However, extending the cycle paths in the Rheinauenpark is not only more convenient, but also much safer, especially for vulnerable road users. The route through the greenery, without traffic lights and junctions, makes the Rheinaue an attractive and safe route for cyclists who cycle there for local recreation or on their way to and from work or school. With children, it is a safe route away from the main roads, which are particularly busy during rush hour. Without having to stop at traffic lights and crossroads, cyclists ultimately reach their destination much faster.

A number of tourist Rhine cycle routes also run along here, such as two Eurovelo routes, the D-Routes or the Rhine Cycle Route, which continue along the river. As cycling traffic is steadily increasing overall, it is also important for leisure traffic to have wider cycle paths on these routes.

It is absolutely right that in the course of the traffic turnaround and sustainable mobility, areas that are still available for motor vehicle traffic today must be converted for cycling and walking in the future. This is taken into account and applied in all current planning.

As a direct north-south connection, the two main roads Petra-Kelly-Allee and Ludwig-Erhard-Allee and B9 on the left bank of the Rhine offer an alternative to the Rheinaue for cycle traffic. With more than 20,000 to almost 30,000 vehicles a day, there are a lot of cars on both main roads.

If one lane on the B9 were removed from motor traffic and converted into a cycle path, this would provide cyclists with sufficient space, but would result in high levels of pollution from exhaust fumes, noise and particulate matter. In addition, traffic is interrupted by traffic lights as well as junctions and intersections, which always pose a risk of accidents. There are also highway junctions on both roads, making it very difficult for cyclists to pass safely and quickly.

On Ludwig-Erhard-Allee, there is only one lane for motor vehicles after the Heinemannallee junction; cyclists are still allowed to ride on the narrow sidewalk. In order to build a proper cycle path here, it would be necessary to encroach on the side areas next to the road. As it is an avenue, there are many trees on both sides that would have to be felled. This is a bad option for reasons of both urban planning and climate adaptation. In addition, avenues in NRW are protected by Section 41 of the State Nature Conservation Act and cannot simply be touched. On one side, the road also borders the listed Rheinaue floodplain.

The situation is similar on the right bank of the Rhine: The alternative north-south connection here only offers a main road, which is also burdened with a lot of motor vehicle traffic due to a highway junction. There are also many trees along this main road between parked cars, which would have to be felled if cycle paths were to be built in these areas. For reasons of space, no new trees could be planted here and compensatory planting would have to be carried out elsewhere. In the Rheinaue floodplain, on the other hand, a new tree can be planted a few meters away for every tree felled.

The current width of the cycle paths of 1.80 to two meters does not correspond to the minimum widths specified in the recommendations for cycle traffic facilities(ERA). In addition, the footpaths and cycle paths are in need of renovation more than 40 years after they were built. Even if one only wanted to renovate the paths without widening them, this would mean interfering with the existing trees. Some of the trees are very close to the paths and have bulged and partially torn open the pavements with their roots. Topping the roots as a possible alternative to felling the trees would sooner or later also destroy the trees and severely impair their stability. In the end, they would unfortunately have to be felled. The general rule of thumb is that the roots of a tree should protrude at least 1.50 meters beyond the diameter of the tree crown on all sides. Every root that is thicker than three centimetres is statically relevant for the tree and cannot simply be cut down, as this would endanger its stability.

As part of the planning for a widening of the footpaths and cycle paths in line with today's standards, it was determined together with the park planner Gottfried Hansjakob and the monument authority which areas of the park may and may not be encroached upon, and it is imperative that the paths remain uniform and retain their shape. So-called "swerving" around individual trees would completely change the design and is therefore not possible. It is also not expedient, as the roots of a tree reach far around its trunk and would still be damaged even if the path were extended one or two meters away. The survival of the tree or its stability could not be guaranteed in this way. Only trees for which this step is absolutely unavoidable should be felled.

It was important in the planning that for every single tree felled, a direct compensation planting was carried out on site in the Rheinaue floodplain, just a few meters from the original location. Trees with a trunk diameter of over one meter will even be replaced by two new plantings.