Road marking work from August 10th – detours, no overtaking and 30 km/h speed limit in some areas
The city of Darmstadt will be adjusting the cycle lanes on the western section of Bismarckstraße between Kirschenallee and Dolivostraße starting Monday, August 10. The work is expected to last until Saturday, August 22 .
During the construction work, the road will be completely closed in sections in each direction. Traffic heading towards the city center will be diverted via Kirschenallee, Landwehrstraße, Rößlerstraße , and Dolivostraße. While work is being carried out on the opposite carriageway, the diversion route will be reversed.
According to the city, the existing bike lanes no longer meet current technical standards. Therefore, the existing markings will be removed along a stretch of approximately 370 meters in both directions and reapplied at a distance of 75 centimeters from the curb . This is intended to significantly reduce the risk of so-called " dooring" accidents – collisions with suddenly opened car doors
With the relocation of the cycle lanes, the remaining roadway width between the cycle lanes and the tram tracks is reduced to 2.25 meters. Overtaking cyclists safely while maintaining the legally required minimum distance of 1.50 meters is no longer possible there. Therefore, the city is implementing a no-overtaking zone for single-track vehicles in both directions between Dolivostraße and Kirschenallee . This also applies in the city-bound section before and after the Feldbergstraße, where there is no cycle lane.
Between Kirschenallee and Goebelstraße, the road width does not allow for an additional safety buffer zone. To reduce the risk of dooring in this area as well, nine parking spaces along the cycle lane will be eliminated. Furthermore, a speed limit of 30 km/h will be introduced in both directions on this section .
“By adapting the cycle lanes, we are consistently implementing the current requirements of the road traffic regulations and increasing safety for cyclists. The greater distance to parked vehicles significantly reduces the risk of so-called dooring accidents. Where road conditions do not allow for safe overtaking, overtaking bans and 30 km/h speed limits create additional safety for all road users,” explains Head of Transport Paul Georg Wandrey.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
