• One of Aachen's largest urban development projects is entering the decisive phase. To kick things off, Regionetz is renewing the underground supply and disposal lines.
• With the construction site set up, public transport, car and bicycle traffic will be routed via new routes from January 27. In the meantime, people can still easily reach the theater and all surrounding stores and medical practices.
• Work is being carried out in several stages. As part of the redesign, Aachen can look forward to a large fountain, many additional trees and a square with a high quality of stay, among other things.

It towers majestically in Aachen's city center: the theater is one of the city's great landmarks. Since 1825, the classicist building has shaped its surroundings - surroundings that have become outdated in terms of their function and appearance. That is why the city and politicians set out in 2019 to restore the theater and, above all, its surroundings to their former glory. This was followed by an extensive participation and planning process. With full commitment, all those involved are now embarking on the decisive and challenging construction phase. From Monday, January 27, traffic in the area will therefore be diverted. Preparatory work for setting up the construction site and directing traffic will take place the week before. On Thursday (January 9), the city, Regionetz and the theater informed the press about the Theaterplatz of the future as a stage for everyone, the adapted traffic routes during the construction period and the complex civil engineering work that will initially be carried out on site.

A new fountain and green theater gardens
At Theaterplatz and its surroundings, the urban community is proving that it is taking on the challenges of the city of the future. "Aachen can combine the useful with the beautiful in the most elegant way here," says Aachen's City Planning Councillor Frauke Burgdorff with conviction. "Below ground, the district heating and sponge city facilities will create something technically sustainable, while above ground, the fountain, the theater gardens, the catering areas, the new trees and, of course, the theater itself and its residents will provide the beautiful moments." Theaterplatz and parts of Theaterstraße will be redesigned from the beginning of 2025 to the end of 2027.

For Stefan Ohmen, Managing Director of Regionetz GmbH, this project is more than just another construction project: "Aachen's Theaterplatz is a central location for culture and encounters. We are proud to be able to contribute to securing and enhancing this heart of the city for the future with our work. The combination of grid modernization, district heating expansion and urban redevelopment makes this project something very special."

The construction crews will be moving in in a few days to make this new piece of the city a reality. This will bring changes. "When the construction site is set up, public transport, car and cycle traffic will be routed along new routes," explains Uwe Müller, Head of the Mobility and Transport Department, while assuring: "Everyone will still be able to reach the theater and all the surrounding stores and surgeries easily. There was intensive coordination in advance to ensure this."

Elena Tzavara, General Director of Theater Aachen, is positive about the start of construction work on Theaterplatz: "I am confident that our performances and rehearsals can continue without restrictions. The aspect of participation is particularly important to me in this project: We have already sought dialog with various stakeholders, the surrounding business people and residents in advance. Together, we want to make Theaterplatz lively and inviting even during the construction work. In the best-case scenario, this will create new opportunities to show presence and strengthen community. In the long term, this project will not only improve the infrastructure, but also consolidate Theaterplatz as the vibrant heart of our city."

From January 27: New traffic routing during the construction phase
The city, Regionetz and the contracted construction company Lube & Krings will begin preparatory work in January. Among other things, marking work will take place and signs will be put up for the changed traffic routing during the construction period. The detour routes will then officially come into effect on Monday, January 27. This means that it will no longer be possible for public transport, cars and cyclists to pass via the lower Theaterstraße and Theaterplatz from January 27. The administration recommends - if possible - that motorized traffic bypass the area via the Alleenring.

Public transport and private motorized traffic
In future, a one-way street regulation will ensure that the Theaterplatz area and the city centre remain easily accessible for people travelling by bus or car. In future, traffic coming from Theaterstraße will be directed towards the city center via the newly established one-way street Aureliusstraße onto Franzstraße and on towards the intersection at Alexianergraben. Elisabethstraße, Hartmannstraße and Kapuzinergraben will remain one-way streets via Kleinmarschierstraße. To make this possible, the existing one-way regulation in Elisabethstraße will be changed. The one-way street there will be reversed and will run in the direction of Hartmannstraße from January 27. Cars will only leave Hartmannstraße in the direction of Kapuzinergraben.

Out of town, private motorized traffic will travel via Franzstraße and the newly established one-way street Borngasse to Theaterstraße and from there in the usual way in the respective directions. The ASEAG lines operating there will also follow this route. The existing bus stops at the theater will be closed for the duration of the construction site. Out of town, a replacement stop will be set up in Borngasse at the level of the multi-storey parking lot. All parking garages (Parkhaus Galerie Kaufhof / City and Parkhaus Kapuziner Karree) in the vicinity will remain accessible. Cabs will stop on Kapuzinergraben opposite the theater. Delivery and loading as well as pick-up and drop-off will continue to be possible at designated locations. Special parking spaces for people with disabilities and parking facilities for bicycles will also be set up.

Diversion for cyclists
Cycle traffic that previously used Theaterplatz will be routed via Borngasse or via Schützenstraße and Wirichsbongardstraße to Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz / Elisenbrunnen.

City planning councillor Burgdorff appeals: "The construction site and the new traffic routing will work particularly well if all road users in the vicinity of Theaterplatz drive fairly, slowly and attentively."

This is how the first construction phase will proceed from
In the first stage, Regionetz will renew the supply and disposal lines on Theaterstraße and Theaterplatz and expand the environmentally friendly district heating in this area. The work will be carried out in several construction phases. From January 27, Regionetz will begin constructing a manhole structure for the sewer at the Theaterstraße / Borngasse junction. After Carnival, the construction work will move from there towards the theater.

At the same time, sewer construction will begin on the northern side of the theater from Kapuzinergraben towards Theaterstraße. The laying of the district heating and supply lines will follow from the summer. Overall, the pipe laying and house connections on the northern side of Theaterplatz should be completed by the end of 2025 and on the southern side by mid-2026.

The city of Aachen will begin the surface work immediately after the pipe laying has been completed. Municipal Theaterplatz project manager Philip Spahr explains: "Step by step, Theaterstraße and Theaterplatz will be given a new look from 2026. First of all, the surfaces in the side areas of Theaterstrasse will be developed with the sidewalks, tree locations and bus stops. This will be followed by the completion of the roadway by the end of 2026. Theaterplatz will be implemented according to the same principle from summer 2026. By the end of 2027, we will be able to enjoy the new Theaterplatz."

Stadt and Regionetz have already informed residents, businesses and facilities in the Theaterplatz area about the construction site schedule through public events and flyers. During the construction period, the administration will regularly inform the public about the redesign of Theaterplatz and the individual construction phases. Banners on site will show what the Theaterplatz of the future will look like, while press releases and social media campaigns will keep people up to date with the latest news. A new column on the project website www.theaterplatz-aachen.de provides information on current construction site activities.

Invitation to the official start of construction on February 4
In addition, Mayor Sibylle Keupen, the partners involved and the committed merchant community on Theaterplatz would like to personally inform citizens about the official start of construction on Tuesday,February 4. Andreas Haveneth from the Theater Viertel interest group is keeping an eye on the interests of the traders and businesses around Theaterplatz.

"Of course, the construction phase is a challenging time - especially for restaurateurs. That's why we are planning various support campaigns for the local restaurants and cafés. We are also very pleased that the city of Aachen has shown a keen ear for our concerns and is supporting us wherever possible."

Urban development funding for Aachen
Theaterplatz is one of the central projects of the 2022 city centre concept (ISK 22), which was developed a good ten years ago. The last large sums of urban development funding were successfully acquired for the design of the square on the basis of ISK 22. The construction costs for the design of Theaterstraße and Theaterplatz together amount to around ten million euros. Up to 80 percent of this will be funded by the federal and state governments. The redesign, which is also part of the City Centre Tomorrow future process, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

The Kapuzinergraben is to be realized as the third construction phase at a later date. After an initial consultation and pre-selection of a cross-section in the Mobility Committee at the beginning of 2024, the plans will be further developed in close coordination with the plans for inner city mobility and the Regiotram process. The aim is to enable implementation from 2028.

Information on Theaterplatz on the Internet: www.theaterplatz-aachen.de