New hope for the cycle highway: Elmshorn and Hamburg closer together!

New hope for the cycle highway: Elmshorn and Hamburg closer together!

In northern Germany, a new twist is emerging in the planning of the cycle highway between Elmshorn and Hamburg. After the Pinneberg district administration determined in May that the project could not be implemented, the district council's transport committee has now decided that the administration should re-examine the options for implementing the cycle highway. This reports daily news.

The cycle highway was originally planned over a period of around ten years, but recently the sobering news came: the implementation of the project was in danger of failing. A crucial obstacle emerged in the section between Pinneberg and Halstenbek, where the route was planned to run next to the railway tracks. However, the railway requires more space for its infrastructure than initially assumed, which made the required width of four meters for the cycle highway impossible. This would have resulted in the state's significant funding of 75 percent being eliminated.

New possibilities on the horizon

Due to current developments, the Transport Committee has instructed the administration to examine alternative routes and to hold discussions with the communities of Pinneberg and Halstenbek, which had not yet taken place. The administration has until March to find new routes. After a bypass route has been determined, concrete planning for the cycle highway should be resumed.

The cycle highway should run from Elmshorn parallel to the railway via Tornesch, Pinneberg and Halstenbek to Hamburg. In the Hanseatic city, the route in the Altona and Eimsbüttel districts will be connected to the existing cycle routes 2 and 14. The section between Elmshorn and Pinneberg is rural, while the population density between Pinneberg and Hamburg is increasing. Commercial areas in Lurup, Eidelstedt and Stellingen can benefit from this important transport project, which is intended to specifically connect larger cities and communities in order to strengthen existing commuter connections, such as Hamburg metropolitan region explained.

Route development and environmental aspects

Another important criterion when developing the route was a sensitive approach to the aspects of nature and landscape protection. A lot of time was invested in communicating with residents, especially in the sensitive area of ​​the Liether Moor. Important gap closures are also being considered in Tornesch, Prisdorf and Halstenbek in order to optimize existing cycle paths.

The entire route is to be built over a total length of around 62 kilometers, with the western branch measuring around 32 kilometers and the eastern branch around 30 kilometers. The aim is to build the route as a bicycle route and to promote commuting by relieving the load on the S-Bahn and long-distance rail connections. The planning is therefore not only perceived as a contribution to the transport transition, but is also intended to make a decisive contribution to the development of new residential areas in the region.

When it comes to the nationwide infrastructure for cycle highways, our project is not alone. In Germany, 70 kilometers of cycle highways are already in operation, and a further 114 are being planned, it is reported Mobility Forum. These projects are part of a comprehensive commitment that is to be supported by funding of around 390 million euros by 2030. The planning and implementation of such projects could not only contribute to improving mobility on two wheels, but also increase the quality of life in the region.