Construction of B97 Highway in Hoyerswerda currently halted.
Let's Talk Bikes: ADFC Slams Saxony for Neglecting Lusatia's Cyclists
Hoyerswerda – The ADFC, Germany's cyclists' association, takes a swipe at Saxony for neglecting the long-promised bicycle paths along the federal road B97 between Hoyerswerda and the Brandenburg state border. "Enough's enough – cyclists in Lusatia can't keep waiting," said Janek Mücksch, the Saxon ADFC chairman, bluntly. The bike path has been on the radar for 20 years![1]
Brandenburg: The Model of Cycling Infrastructure
According to Mücksch, the ADFC isn't confident that more bike path plans won't meet the same fate, owing to rumored budget cuts. The situation on the B97 is quite dire, the ADFC notes, since Brandenburg already boasts an excellent infrastructure for cyclists![2]
"It's pathetic that Brandenburg has been doling out top-notch bicycle policy for eons, while Saxony is slowly but surely backing away from the issue," Mücksch complained.
Saxony's Ministry of Infrastructure, however, offers a different perspective. The ministry cites the exclusion zone set up by the federal-owned Lausitzer and Mitteldeutsche Bergbauverwaltungsgesellschaft (LMBV) in the former mining area in Lusatia, labeled off-limits after the 2009 Nachterstedt landslide disaster.[3] During this catastrophe, 2.8 million cubic meters of earth, including houses, slid into the Concordia open-cast mine lake, causing three deaths.[3]
Digging Deep: Delays Galore
Expensive soil stabilization measures are required under the B97 in the connecting area with the S130, prerequisites for the road's rebuilding and the eventual construction of a bike path.[3] The work is scheduled to kick off in 2030 and could drag on for 5 to 10 years, according to the LMBV.[3] Only then will the bicycle path planning be able to resume, with the risk of shoddy planning too great before the foundational work is complete.[3]
Neither the federal nor the state government bears the responsibility for an alternative to the federal road. The ministry points to the local level, where traffic needs are better assessed.[3] Should local authorities approve a designated pathway, the Free State might fund 85% of it.[3] To everyone's disappointment, a proposed ADFC alternative route also falls within the exclusion zone, leading to the same infrastructure challenges as the B97.[3]
- The Saxon ADFC Chairman Slams Plans for Bicycle Path along federal road 97
- Brandenburg Leads the Way in Bicycle Traffic Policy
- B97 Bicycle Path: Delays and Uncertainty due to Subsurface Renovation
- The lack of financing for bicycle infrastructure projects in Saxony could hinder its progress, as evidenced by the delay in building a bike path along the B97, contrasting with Brandenburg's robust home-and-garden sector and its well-structured automotive, industry, finance, and transportation industries that prioritize cyclist-friendly infrastructure.
- Mücksch, the Saxon ADFC chairman, expressed concern that more bike path plans might suffer the same fate, as rumors of budget cuts loom, considering the success of bicycle policy in Brandenburg that has positively impacted lifestyle and urban planning, making it a model for cycling infrastructure development.
- The proposed ADFC alternative route for a bike path in Lusatia also faces challenges, as it falls within the exclusion zone due to subsurface renovation works scheduled for 2030, potentially impacting the quality of the eventual bike path, much like the current situation on the B97, which is expected to take 5 to 10 years for its rebuilding and the construction of a bike path.
