Vaihingen rejects cycle route: New safety measures for cyclists!

Vaihingen rejects cycle route: New safety measures for cyclists!

At its meeting in the Vaihingen wine press on June 25, 2025, the Vaihingen district advisory board rejected the planned new main cycle route on Waldburgstrasse. This happened in front of a large audience, which animatedly discussed the topic of expanding the main cycle route network in Stuttgart. The planned route would have stretched over 1.1 kilometers from Robert-Koch-Straße to the Föhrenwald and includes a 2.25-meter-wide protective strip. However, this measure would have eliminated 103 parking spaces, which was a major concern not only for residents but also for representatives of the district advisory board.

The city administration plans to examine alternative routes and a possible speed limit for Waldburgstrasse. In the discussion about the need for a speed limit, the option of reducing it to 30 or 40 km/h was considered. Residents expressed concerns, particularly regarding road safety on the street in question, where cyclists already reach speeds of up to 70 km/h.

Alternative suggestions for route guidance

The district advisory board suggested alternative routes, such as a route via Freibadstrasse and Vollmoellerstrasse. Traffic calming on Krehlstrasse and examining the use of Panzerstrasse were also discussed. In order to increase safety for cyclists, new crossings and a barrier-free expansion of the bus stops should be created. The city administration has assured that the district advisory board's concerns will be taken into account in the local council's decision.

The city has an ambitious goal for 2030: to increase the proportion of bicycle traffic in Stuttgart from the current 9% to 25%. The increasing trend towards cycling in the city is also reflected in the numbers of bike counting stations, which counted a total of 5,204,853 bike rides in 2024, as stuttgart.de reports. The proportion of bicycle trips among Stuttgart's resident population is currently around 8%, while walking accounts for 29%, private motorized transport (MIV) 40% and public transport (ÖV) 23%.

Events and initiatives

In order to draw attention to the concerns of cyclists, a bicycle demonstration will take place on June 28th at 2 p.m. at Vaihingen Town Hall Square. This not only promotes citizen participation, but also points out the need for improvements in cycling. The majority of the road network in Stuttgart, around 70%, is already traffic-calmed at 30 km/h, which ensures that motorized traffic and cyclists coexist in a compatible manner.

In total, there are around 360 kilometers of cycling facilities available in Stuttgart, including 265 one-way streets that are open to cyclists in the opposite direction. The city also offers various leisure routes and events for cyclists to further promote cycling.