Traffic chaos in Wolgast: Is the temporary parking ban coming?

Traffic chaos in Wolgast: Is the temporary parking ban coming?

Something is happening in transport matters in Wolgast. Against the background of an increasing number of parked vehicles on Saarstrasse, city representatives are calling for a temporary parking ban. This measure is intended to help get traffic between the B 111 and Bahnhofstrasse moving better again. The discussion about these changes began on October 8th, when the AfD parliamentary group submitted a test order for a parking and parking ban. According to the Baltic Sea newspaper Trucks and vehicles with trailers in particular have great difficulty getting into oncoming traffic.

Concerns were also raised during the meeting: Torsten Wodtke from KfW warned of a possible increase in speed if a complete ban is imposed. In contrast, Juliane Koch (AfD) made it clear that the right-before-left requirement on cross streets was intended to ensure safety. Lars Bergemann (OLW) put forward a proposal to set up at least four parking pockets on the street, while Holger Kostmann from the AfD favored a compromise and brought up a daily time-limited parking and parking ban from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. With two abstentions, this proposal received a clear majority and the administration was instructed to contact the district's transport authority about implementation.

Traffic calming in the old town

However, the situation in Wolgast does not only affect Saarstrasse. At a city representative meeting on June 16, 2025, around 19 residents from the old town expressed their dissatisfaction with the traffic situation on Badstubenstrasse, Schusterstrasse, Swinkestrasse, Kleinbrückenstrasse and at the city wall. The trigger was a decision on May 5th that stipulated an increase in the 20 km/h zone to 30 km/h. Various Residents reported cracks in masonry and damage to tiles, likely caused by increased traffic and trucks. Home port Wolgast documented that the high driving speed and the noise pollution caused by the cobblestones in the affected streets are increasingly becoming a burden.

A central point in the residents' demands is the introduction of a permanently installed speed camera to monitor speed limits. Mayor Martin Schröter informed that in the past many applications for traffic calming had been rejected by the Vorpommern-Greifswald district and mentioned the introduction of 20 km/h speed limit as the only compromise implemented so far. Around 200 residents have signed a petition to calm traffic and their patience is at an end, according to the tenor of the meeting. These demands should be presented again to the district administrator, who will hold a meeting in Wolgast at the end of June.

Successful traffic calming measures

A look beyond Wolgast's borders could show how other cities successfully implement traffic calming. One example is Weißenburger Straße in Munich, which became a pedestrian zone on a trial basis last year. Many cities are trying to reduce car traffic to improve air quality and make public spaces attractive, such as Deutschlandfunk reported. Communication strategies and early involvement of residents are crucial for the success of such measures.

In Wolgast, the citizens and the city administration are faced with the challenge of finding solutions that both improve the quality of life of residents and regulate traffic sensibly. Traffic calming measures could have a positive effect on pedestrian frequency, which would be beneficial for local businesses. But at the same time it is emphasized that taking social aspects into account and avoiding displacement effects are absolutely necessary in order to meet the challenges of traffic calming.