A part of Charlottenstraße, which runs parallel to Friedrichstraße, is now a bicycle street. This applies to the section between Leipziger Straße and Unter den Linden. “The road is part of the bicycle priority network, which we are working on at full speed,” said Berlin’s Senator for Transport Bettina Jarasch (Greens) on Monday. Traffic for cars, motorcycles and trucks is only free there for residents.
In addition, cyclists dictate the speed: they are allowed to use the entire width of the lane and drive side by side, cars have to adapt. The top speed is 30 kilometers per hour.
The six-month conversion of Charlottenstrasse is in line with the cycling plan that was approved by the Senate in November last year and is intended to promote cycling in Berlin. “It is important that we can open this cycle lane, since the cycle lane on Friedrichstrasse has been removed. Cyclists now have an alternative on this north-south route, which is of central importance,” said Jarasch.
On October 24, the administrative court had declared the continued blocking of an approximately 500-meter-long stretch of Friedrichstrasse near Gendarmenmarkt to be illegal. The traffic administration refrained from filing a complaint with the Higher Administrative Court. This made it clear that cars must be allowed on Friedrichstrasse again. Independent of this are the plans to redesign the section in question into a pedestrian zone and promenade.
According to Jarasch, it is still being considered whether Friedrichstrasse will become a pedestrian zone. However, she expects that after a thorough examination, the street could be rededicated at the turn of the year.
