Verkehrskonzept Altstadtquartier Büchel

View of Bahkauv, "upper" Büchel, Nikolausstrasse and "lower" Büchel with the interim use

The most important facts in brief

With the demolition of the Büchel multi-storey parking lot and the planning of its subsequent use, the opportunities to upgrade this part of the old town between Peterstraße and Seilgraben for pedestrian traffic have increased. In July 2025, the political bodies commissioned the administration to conduct a public consultation to discuss the introduction of a pedestrian zone for the streets in this quarter that are not yet pedestrian zones.

Between September 16 and October 13, residents of the city of Aachen can submit their ideas and comments to the city on Beteiligung.NRW. At the same time, the plans will be made public in the foyer of the administration building at Marschiertor, Lagerhausstraße 20, 52064 Aachen. You can also send your suggestions, questions and comments by email to verkehrskonzept_buechel@mail.aachen.de.

Map

Initial situation/existing situation

The old town district of Büchel is located within the Grabenring and can only be regularly accessed by motorized individual traffic (MIV) via Ursulinerstraße and exited via Minoritenstraße. In addition, at certain times, delivery traffic can enter via Ursulinerstraße (from Münsterplatz), Markt, Bädersteig, Großkölnstraße (from Seilgraben) and exit via Ursulinerstraße (in the direction of Münsterplatz), Markt, Bädersteig, Großkölnstraße (both directions). Access to Antoniusstraße is only permitted for local traffic coming from Nikolausstraße.

Framework conditions for a possible redesign

The "City center mobility for tomorrow" concept was adopted for the entire city center in 2023. This provides for a strengthening of the environmental network and a reduction of car traffic to the necessary source and destination traffic.

Due to the central location in the old town, to enhance the district and to make the best possible use of the urban qualities, the aim is to minimize the impact of motor vehicle traffic on the Büchel old town district. At the same time, the accessibility of the properties for residents and tradespeople/hospitality businesses, for delivery and loading traffic as well as for neighborhood-related visitor traffic should be guaranteed. The needs of people with disabilities must also be taken into account. The pedestrian connection for customers arriving by car is ensured in particular by the surrounding parking garages (Rathaus, Seilgraben, Couvenstraße and Adalbertstraße).

Due to its location directly adjacent to the bus station and Elisenbrunnen, there are already excellent public transport connections. There are a few gaps in the network for cycling, which are to be eliminated in the future concept.

Planning proposal

A traffic study and an expert opinion on possible traffic routing resulted in the "pedestrian zone" variant being the most expedient approach for further discussion. The establishment of a continuous pedestrian zone is expected to significantly reduce through traffic and short stops by around fifty to sixty percent.

No construction measures would be necessary (as a first step) to set up a pedestrian zone. It could initially be established by means of signage. Various streets such as Kleinkölnstraße, Ursulinerstraße, parts of Nikolausstraße or upper Büchel are already in a structural condition that could also be considered a pedestrian zone. Lower Büchel (and later also parts of Antoniusstraße) will be upgraded accordingly in the context of urban development, while Mefferdatisstraße will ultimately be redesigned in connection with the Haus der Neugier. Buchkremerstrasse in particular will be redesigned in subsequent years.

Citizen participation

Between September 16 and October 13, residents of the city of Aachen can submit their ideas and comments to the city on Beteiligung.NRW. At the same time, the plans will be made public in the foyer of the administration building at Marschiertor, Lagerhausstraße 20, 52064 Aachen. You can also send your suggestions, questions and comments by email to verkehrskonzept_buechel@mail.aachen.de.

Timetable and milestones

• 2018: Ratsantrag"Closing the pedestrian zone gap in the old town"
• 2021: Demolition of the Büchel parking garage
• 2022: Start of interim use at Büchel (Webseite zur Entwicklung am Büchel)
• 2023: Basic decision "Inner-city mobility for tomorrow"
• 2024: Commissioning of a traffic report for the Büchel area with four traffic routing options
• July 10, 2025:
  • The Mobility Committee takes note of the administration's comments on traffic development in the Büchel old town district. It instructs the administration to carry out a public participation process based on the "pedestrian zone" concept. (s.ALLRIS - Vorlage)   
  • Reporting on this
  • WDR Lokalzeit aus Aachen | 10.07.2025 - hier anschauen 
  • Das Altstadtquartier Büchel in Aachen soll zur Fußgängerzone werden. | Aachener Zeitung

Further steps

• Anticipated 1st half of 2026: Creation of the template and decision to establish a pedestrian zone
• Anticipated 2nd half of 2026: Redesignation of affected streets, pedestrian zone signage, adaptation of city center signage, information measures

If a resolution is passed, structural modifications to the following streets would be recommended in subsequent years: (lower) Büchel, parts of Antoniusstraße, Mefferdadisstraße, Buchkremerstraße. These would be separate resolutions with their own cost calculations.

Costs

The costs will be presented for the planning and implementation decision when the planning is further detailed and budgeted accordingly. An as-built variant will be cheaper than a variant in which extensive conversion work is planned, e.g. by moving the kerb position.

Council info

Further topics