Cycling reporter Lara on the road in Hamburg Reconstruction measures on Ballindamm and Jungfernstieg
Bike reporter Lara is on the road in Hamburg on her bike and tells you about the most exciting stories, projects and people who are committed to cycling in our city. Go on a discovery tour with Lara and find out why Hamburg is twice as much fun from a bicycle.
Commuters on cycle routes 5 and 6 and cycle tour fans will have noticed that a lot has changed around the Binnenalster in recent years. Until 2020, the ever-increasing bicycle traffic was jammed on Ballindamm - one of the centrepieces of Hamburg's city centre - while car traffic was decreasing more and more. At the same time, the bicycle lanes were only about one metre wide and partially removed, while car traffic had two lanes in both directions.
Therefore, the entire road space between Glockengießerwall and Reesendamm Bridge was completely reconstructed, giving cyclists and pedestrians more space and safety. The bicycle lane was built to a record width of 2.25 to 4.75 metres and car traffic was limited to one lane at a time.
The new walkways on the Alster side are over two metres wide and are complemented by an accessible tree strip over four metres wide and additional seating. The accessibility of this area has been significantly increased by the additional space and by new crossing options on Ballindamm. After construction is completed, there is no stopping Lara the bike reporter and she sets off for her test ride on Hamburg's new showcase boulevard.
But first she meets with the coordinator for the mobility turnaround Kirsten Pfaue to find out what challenges had to be overcome during the reconstruction measures and what possibilities the redesigned Ballindamm now offers Hamburg's inhabitants. She learns from Kirsten Pfaue that not only has a new XXL bicycle lane been installed, but that the pavements have also been widened and Jungfernstieg, which is adjacent to Ballindamm, has been declared a low-car zone. The coordinator for the mobility turnaround also explains that good communication with all parties was an important prerequisite in the project planning and implementation. The interests of the retail trade were taken into account as well as those of the elevated railway, urban development, the district of Hamburg-Mitte, the Authority for Transport and Mobility Transition and the police.
Engineer Timo Sinhuber, who supervised the redesign on behalf of the Hamburg-Mitte district office, explains the special features of the new bicycle lane to Lara. Not only was more space given to the bicycle lane, it was also asphalted and provided with markings. In addition, the drainage channel outside the bicycle lane was moved towards the centre of the road to make the entire bicycle lane usable.
In addition, cyclists no longer have to lift their bikes at the kerb to reach the bicycle parking spaces along the cycle lanes, and traffic islands and similar structural elements provide them with more safety from motor traffic. Together they get on their bikes and find their way: Cycling along Ballindamm is a very special experience.
With the reconstruction of Ballindamm, however, the plans around the Binnenalster are not yet complete. Currently, if you want to get from the Binnenalster to the shops on the other side, you have to take a big step down from the kerb and cross a wide road with a central reservation. According to a draft by the city of Hamburg, the street is to be narrowed by five metres, the central reservation is to disappear and the space gained is to benefit the promenade on the water side. In addition, a fourth row of trees is to be created on the steps of the Alster jetty.
