Marburg's Bridges: Accessibility remains a major unsolved problem!

Marburg's Bridges: Accessibility remains a major unsolved problem!

In Marburg everything revolves around accessibility. Recently, the SPD politician Asmah El-Shabassy asked an interesting question to the head of the building department, Dr. Michael Kopatz from the Climate List: What about the accessibility of our pedestrian bridges? A look at the five most famous bridges in the city shows that reality does not quite match the requirements.

Five bridges - the Rainbow Bridge on Richtsberg, the Hildegard-Hamm-Brücher-Steg at the Südbahnhof, the Schulepark-Steg, the Adolf-Reichwein-Steg not far from Aquamar and the Luis-Adorf-Steg - do not meet the requirements for a maximum gradient of 6%. This topic affects many people in Marburg because, as we learn from Juri Asthin, there are no major problems with strollers, but there are restrictions at the Südbahnhof Bridge.

Everyday stories from those affected

Heidi Beredes, who relies on a walker, describes her challenges on the Hildegard-Hamm-Brücher-Steg. “The gradient is just too steep,” she explains. Ole Brötschmann, who is in a wheelchair, also avoids this bridge because it makes access to the track more difficult. This shows that accessibility is not just a buzzword, but influences the daily lives of countless people.

How does Marburg approach improving the situation? In a conversation with Dr. It became known to Kopatz that preliminary plans for the replacement of the Hildegard-Hamm-Brüche-Seg had already been initiated. A performance is planned for early 2026. No major measures are currently planned for the other bridges. Interestingly, the Adolf-Reichwein-Steg will be opened to bicycle traffic in October 2025 because its railing height does not meet the requirements for pedestrians.

Further developments

The Rainbow Bridge falls under the Integrated Community Development Concept, which raises hopes for future improvements. The Luis-Adorf-Steg is under the responsibility of Hessen Mobil, which makes communication about its condition difficult.

But what is the general state of accessibility in Germany? A recent study shows that in two out of three cases people with disabilities are not included in planning processes. This comes despite the fact that two out of five major cities are trying to take targeted measures to promote accessibility. Study author Albrecht Rohrmann warns that there are not enough serious efforts in most cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.

The results of this study are alarming. Only 252 of 619 larger cities and districts in Germany have systematic planning activities to implement the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities, which has been in force for years. Over 60% of municipalities do not include those affected in their planning. As Leander Palleit from the German Institute for Human Rights notes, accessibility is a legal obligation.

Whether in the cinema, theater or at a concert – the challenges for people with disabilities remain great. It is therefore important that the city of Marburg and other communities in the country finally take action and create sustainable solutions. Suggestions for improvement have already been presented to the Minister of State for Culture, but it remains to be seen how words will become actions.

Accessibility is a challenge that affects us all. Forward-looking measures must be urgently initiated so that something can finally move in Marburg and beyond.