Construction site chaos in Braunschweig: New sign keeps guesswork!

Construction site chaos in Braunschweig: New sign keeps guesswork!

Something is happening in Braunschweig - and not just in the heads of cyclists. Numerous construction sites are currently shaping the cityscape and are causing diversions that are not always clear at first glance. A new traffic sign in particular, set up opposite the Schlosscarree, is causing confusion. It is rectangular, bright yellow and depicts a black bicycle. There are three arrows underneath - two red ones pointing upwards and one black one.
Many citizens are unsure what this sign is all about. Lutz, a Braunschweiger, therefore looked for explanations in a Facebook group, but the Internet only provides scant information about the new sign. As the city of Braunschweig makes clear in a statement, this is a detour sign for bicycle traffic that is directly related to the construction work on Hagenmarkt. This work is necessary to ensure alternative routes for cyclists, which are clearly displayed on the overview boards.

Cyclists in focus

The new sign is reminiscent of the directional sign 422-36, which tells cyclists to go straight. The city has done a good job of planning the diversion routes: each route has a different color and leads straight ahead at the specified point. The city wants to ensure that cyclists can travel safely and easily despite the construction work.

But it's not just cyclists who are affected by the current construction sites. The light rail and buses in Braunschweig also have to change. According to the BSVG, work is being done on the switches at Berliner Platz at the main station, which is progressing faster than expected. Restrictions are expected until Monday October 27th. The city trains cannot currently use the station forecourt and the regular stop under the glass roof remains out of service. Lines 5 and 10 must therefore stop at the “Hauptbahnhof/Viewegs Garten” stop.

Traffic changes and diversions

Passengers therefore have to be prepared for some changes. The light rail lines 1 and 2, which normally run via the main station, are now rerouted via “Leisewitzstrasse”. From there, passengers can get to the city center every 7-8 minutes. Line 1E, on the other hand, runs back from the “Inselwall” as a circular route and even offers extended timetables during the autumn holidays - that's good news for everyone who wants to remain flexible.

Things get turbulent, especially on weekends: Here line 5 changes to line 1E at the replacement stop. For Saturday excursions, line 1E returns passengers every 15 minutes, while on Sundays every 30 minutes ensures a more relaxing journey. In addition, some bus routes, including the 411, 419, 430, 436 and 482, will have to be rerouted. If you want to walk to the “Willy-Brandt-Platz” stop in the direction of the main train station, you should go to Ottmerstraße. Although the deviations could be confusing, with a little planning you can definitely find the way.

Another major construction project is coming up: From Monday, March 3rd, Bültenweg will be completely closed. This construction work is expected to take 18 months and will mean that bus routes 416, 426 and 436 will also have to be converted. A regulation that gives passengers a transfer time of 3 minutes at Sachsendamm.

While the construction sites in Braunschweig are piling up and confusing the traffic, it remains to be hoped that the comprehensive measures make sense and will improve the cityscape in the long term - after all, Braunschweig wants to be a place that is both bicycle-friendly and well-connected.