Kornelimünster parking space concept

Traffic test

Brief info

• Project: Traffic trial in Kornelimünster: Increasing the quality of stay in connection with a reorganization of parking in the historic town center
• Objective: to upgrade the historic town center in line with the mobility turnaround, but taking into account the concerns of all types of traffic and the changing demands on the street space
• Schedule: Information for citizens 09.03. - 02.04.2026
• Project phase: Traffic test

Current

In the period from 09.03. to 02.04.2026, the administration will conduct a public participation on the planning of the traffic trial. For this purpose, an information event for citizens will take place on 25.03.2026 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the auditorium of the Inda-Gymnasium in Kornelimünster. During the participation period, the documents will be available for inspection at the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district office.

Map

Occasion and goal

The Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district council first commissioned the administration to develop a parking space concept for Kornelimünster in 2010, as the parking situation in the historic center of Kornelimünster in particular has been very tense for years. This concerns both the offer for visitors and tourists as well as the parking situation for residents and neighbors.

As a result, an expert opinion on parking space analysis was drawn up in 2011 with the recommendation of possible expansion areas for the parking supply. The aim of this was to keep the town center (Benediktusplatz and Korneliusmarkt) free of stationary and moving traffic as far as possible, while also considering parking options for buses.

After it was established in 2013 that the "Pannacker" to the south-east of the historic town center was not available for use by stationary traffic, a large-scale survey of residents and tradespeople was conducted on the parking situation in the historic town center of Kornelimünster. The survey confirmed the high parking pressure already caused by residents and businesses. The desire to keep the two squares Benediktusplatz and Korneliusmarkt free of parking vehicles and/or to introduce a possible management rule was assessed differently by the participants.

In 2017, the parking lot on Korneliusstrasse was created with 30 additional parking spaces. In September 2019, an initial restriction on the maximum parking time was lifted. Since then, the parking lot has also offered long-term parkers (residents, business people, tourists) an interesting alternative to parking on Benediktusplatz and Korneliusmarkt.

Even after the completion of the parking lot on Korneliusstrasse and the lifting of the temporary parking restrictions, there was considerable parking pressure in the historic town center, so the administration was once again commissioned to develop a parking concept in 2020. The basis for the creation of this parking concept was a detailed preliminary study of the general parking supply and the time-of-day usage requirements of the various target groups in June 2021. The results of the survey of parking space occupancy showed that the public parking space in the study area offers sufficient capacity reserves at all time periods examined. The average occupancy rate of public parking spaces, including parking offenders, was 56%. High to very high parking space utilization only existed in the detailed analysis of individual streets or street sections. However, it became clear that visitors, tourists and long-term parkers do not use the signposted parking spaces in the Schildchenweg area.

At the meeting of the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district council in January 2023, the results of the parking space survey and various approaches for a parking space concept in the historic center of Kornelimünster were presented: the establishment of a traffic-calmed area, the management of public parking spaces and the establishment of a residents' parking zone (see presentation here).

However, a traffic-calmed area in the historic center of Kornelimünster cannot be set up for traffic law reasons after a thorough examination and the majority of residents did not want the public parking spaces to be managed in the survey conducted in 2013. In addition, the establishment of a residents' parking zone in the historic center of Kornelimünster was rejected by resolution of the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district council in January 2023.

Planning

As the approaches presented at the meeting of the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district council in January 2023 for a parking concept in the historic center of Kornelimünster were not feasible or politically viable, the administration has developed further ideas that can regulate parking and at the same time increase the quality of stay.

Establishment of a no-stopping zone

Parking in a no-parking zone is only permitted in designated areas. Accordingly, sidewalk areas can be kept free and parking can be organized in accordance with the law so that parking areas can be clearly marked. It is also possible to reduce the speed limit to 20 km/h in the form of a traffic-calmed area. The prerequisite for the no-stopping zone is the marking of areas suitable for parking. The existing paving on Korneliusmarkt is not suitable for clear marking in accordance with the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), so the parking areas must be marked in another way.

White markings are not durable on the existing cobblestones in the town center. As the pavement on Korneliusmarkt is not a historic cobblestone pavement and therefore not a listed building, it could be replaced in parts to achieve a marking that complies with the StVO. Coordination with the monument preservation and urban design departments is planned.

Creating a better quality of stay

The establishment of a no-parking zone also makes it possible to reduce the number of parking spaces on Benediktusplatz or Korneliusmarkt in a sustainable manner, so that the quality of life in the historic town center can be further enhanced. There are currently 66 legal parking spaces available on Korneliusmarkt and a further 13 on Benediktusplatz. The number of parking spaces on Benediktusplatz could be reduced in order to highlight the historic street with its listed facades and buildings and make it usable as a recreational area.

In addition, it is conceivable that furniture could be placed in the space thus freed up, e.g. in the form of benches, tables or flower pots. New furniture that is appropriate in terms of monument preservation can help to increase the quality of the space.

Traffic test

Due to the high cost of redesigning the historic town center, a traffic trial should be carried out first. Over a predetermined period of time, various options for improving the quality of stay and the organization of parking can be tested and evaluated for a limited period of time before a long-term solution is developed. The furniture planned to increase the quality of stay is also available in mobile form. This is intended for temporary use, e.g. during the traffic trial, and can be dismantled without leaving any residue. In conjunction with temporarily installed nails to mark the newly arranged parking spaces, the mobile furniture can be used to make the no-stopping zone and the resulting increased quality of stay a tangible experience during the traffic trial.

Outlook

For the development of the transport trial, we would like to enter into an exchange with residents and other interested parties and invite you to participate in the planning process. This participation will take place before and during the transport trial with the help of a functional e-mail address and a questionnaire.

In the period between 09.03. and 02.04.2026 you will find all documents for the planned traffic trial for inspection at the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district office. In addition, an information event for all residents and other interested parties will take place on 25.03.2026 in the auditorium of the Inda-Gymnasium in Kornelimünster. Here you can obtain information on site and address comments, suggestions and questions to the administration. During the entire participation period and the subsequent traffic trial, you can also use the functional e-mail address given under "Contact".

The results of this first participation module will be processed by the administration and will serve the Aachen-Kornelimünster/Walheim district council as an important basis for the further decision to carry out the traffic trial. A corresponding political consultation is planned before the summer vacation. The traffic trial could then be carried out in the second half of 2026.

Council info template

FB 68/0210/WP18: Kornelimünster parking space concept - traffic trial with accompanying citizen participation