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Monkey the car-free Mainkai: Political wrangling is paralyzing the transport transition!
Frankfurt's Mainkai remains car-free for the time being, as political blockades and shifts in opinion are delaying the plans.
Monkey the car-free Mainkai: Political wrangling is paralyzing the transport transition!
There is currently a heated debate in Frankfurt about the future of the Mainkai. The plan to free this popular area from car traffic and convert it into a busy pedestrian promenade has failed for the time being. Loud T Online There is a lack of a majority in the political sphere that is needed to close the road to cars. The SPD in particular has changed its position and is refraining from short-term implementation.
The decision to redesign the Mainkai has an eventful history. The project was planned to support pedestrians and cyclists, but the project stalled significantly in the Mobility Committee. The Greens, Volt, Left and ÖkoLinX continue to advocate for the opening of the Mainkai, but the SPD fears current traffic congestion from large construction sites, which endangers the plan. Kristina Luxen, the SPD's transport policy spokeswoman, has pointed out that a decision should not be postponed until the next electoral period at the earliest.
Blockages and resistance
An important point in this debate is the political blockage of the project. The Frankfurter Neue Presse reports that although a working group from various departments is active, the planning is stuck in coordination. Wolfgang Siefert, head of the mobility department, confirmed that there were no technical reasons for the delay, but the CDU and FDP spoke out against a permanent closure. They warned that the closure could shift traffic into residential areas and called for a usage concept without traffic restrictions.
The CDU has also criticized the fact that past closures of the Mainkai have led to protests in Sachsenhausen because traffic there has increased. The FDP is calling for a viable traffic concept, which also includes the planned diversions, before the closure. Siefert, on the other hand, emphasizes the necessity of these transformations in order to advance urban development and offer people a better living environment.
Mobility transition and urban development
In the larger context of the mobility transition, the Mainkai plays an important role. The approach aims to promote alternative means of transport to cars and thus offer environmentally friendly solutions. According to that Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Cities and municipalities are crucial for implementation. Innovative concepts, such as those supported by the mFUND offer, ensure that the mobility of the future is not just about doing without, but rather about an intelligent mix of different modes of transport.
The idea of car-free zones is becoming increasingly popular, but as the difficulties in implementing it on Mainkai show, there are many challenges. The Mainkai is currently still used for various events and festivals, which underlines the diversity of the square. Whether the plan for a car-free promenade will become a reality remains to be seen and, according to Siefert, requires the city council to release the relevant planning funds.
In the meantime, it is clear that the discussion about the Mainkai will continue to occupy transport policy in Frankfurt. The pressure from citizens and political actors remains, and the question of how Frankfurt uses public space is increasingly becoming a crucial challenge for urban development in the coming years.