Cycling decision

Citizens' petition and resolution 2019

The "Aachen Cycling Decision" is a citizens' petition by an independent citizens' initiative. It consists of 7 individual goals with the overall aim of improving the cycling infrastructure in the city of Aachen by the end of 2027, which will motivate more people to cycle.

At its meeting on November 6, 2019, the Aachen City Council formally deemed the "Aachen Cycling Decision" to be admissible as a citizens' initiative and endorsed the objectives of the cycling decision (PDF).

Here you can find the administration's submission at the time and the minutes of the discussion in the Council.

The adoption of these goals is linked to an extensive work program that will present the administration, politicians and urban society with major tasks and challenges in the coming years.

Content and costs of the cycling decision

The following 7 objectives were requested and agreed:

• Objective 1 calls for the creation of 10 km of a continuous, close-knit cycling network each year. Intersections should be made safe and swift progress should be ensured for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Objective 2: Three major traffic light intersections and 15 junctions are to be converted each year.
• Objective 3 + 4: 2.3 m wide single-use cycle paths are required on main roads, 5 km of which are to be built each year. These cycle paths, like all new or renovated cycle traffic facilities, are to be colored red. Footpaths and cycle paths are to be structurally separated and continue at the same level if priority is given.
• Objective 5 calls for the expansion of a total of 15,000 bicycle parking spaces in various forms (bicycle racks, covered, weather-protected, bicycle station).
• Objective 6 + 7: An online portal should enable the reporting of defects in the footpath and cycle path network and document the rectification of these defects. The implementation status of the objectives and urban acquisitions is published annually in a report and discussed in various committees.

The additional costs for implementing the cycling decision over an 8-year period were estimated in advance by the administration at € 91,177,800. Less personnel costs, this corresponds to €43 per inhabitant per year.

Individual projects have already been implemented or tested as part of a trial phase. Protected bike lanes were set up on Adalbertsteinweg and Pontwall during an observation phase.

With the publication of the activity report, the city of Aachen presents the developments in 2020 for the individual goals in detail and thus addresses goal 7 of the cycling decision.

Review of the annual cycling decision event in February 2021

The administration already provided information about the developments at a digital event in the digiHUB on February 19, 2021.

Mayor Sibylle Keupen confirmed that the cycling decision has given a "huge boost" to the administration's efforts to become a more bicycle-friendly city, which has been active in the association of bicycle-friendly cities and districts since 1995. However, she also emphasized that the city is facing a "Herculean task" on which it is working hard and with commitment.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Dennis Knese, who has held the endowed professorship for bicycle traffic at the Frankfurt University of Applied Science since the beginning of the year, whetted the appetite for the topic of bicycle traffic with his exciting keynote speech and many international examples.

Isabel Strehle, Head of the Urban Development, Planning and Mobility Infrastructure Department, and Uwe Müller, Head of the Transport Planning and Mobility Department, then presented the work of the previous year as well as the financial and personnel changes.

In five individual sessions, participants were able to find out about various topics and work statuses and enter into dialog with the planners. There were thematic rounds focusing on the cycling network, cycling on main roads, bicycle parking and reporting deficiencies, as well as an open round for the free expression of topics. A brief overview of the results and answers to submitted questions will be made available in the coming days.

The event was concluded by Ms. Burgdorff, Councillor for Urban Development, Construction and Mobility of the City of Aachen, with her message "We have gained momentum. And we are now also in a position to exercise this momentum professionally".

The event was moderated by Jens Stachowitz.