Discussion about major project Opinions differ about the cable car for Bonn
BONN · Three years ago, local politicians commissioned a feasibility study for a cable car on the Venusberg. Residents in Dottendorf and Kessenich are divided about the project.
Opinions are divided about one of the largest planned traffic projects in the city of Bonn: at the centre of the debate is the construction of an urban cable car. It is to run from the site of the University Hospital on Venusberg, over the Stadtwald (City Forest), make a bend to the right at Hindenburgplatz in Dottendorf into Urstadtstraße, and go over the Erich-Kästner School to the UN-Campus Deutsche Bahn stop, thus connecting the work centre in the former government quarter. An extension over the Rhine with a connection to the future S-Bahn stop at Ramersdorf (S13) is also conceivable. The big question is: is this idea a seemingly exotic dream costing millions or an appropriate way to ease city traffic?
Local politicians in Bonn decided three years ago to have the appropriateness of such a cable car tested by means of a feasibility study. The urban cable car would be part of the local public transport network and anyone with a valid local transport ticket could use it without additional payment.
Cable cars do not usually run through populated streets but rather in the Alps. In the mountains, few are affected; in a city many are. And it is here that opinions differ as to whether a cable car through the Venusberg, Dottendorf, and Gronau districts over to Beuel can help solve Bonn’s traffic problems and at what price.
Nine associations are calling for the “North Route”
On the one hand is the action group “Bonn bleibt seilbahnfrei” (“Bonn stays cable car free”), whose programme is clear from its name. On the other side are nine traffic and environment associations. The Bonn/Rhine-Sieg Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports the cable car as does the director of the University Hospital, Wolfgang Holzgreve. And large companies like Telekom are signalling their interest. Stadtwerke Bonn could be considered as a possible operator.
The experts on the feasibility study came to the conclusion in May last year that a public cable car would be technically possible and would result in an easing of traffic on the Venusberg. They said the best effect, including economically, would be achieved by the “North Route” as a connection between the University Hospitals and the new UN-Campus Deutsche Bahn stop with an option to extend over the Rhine. The total route length would be 4.3 kilometres with five stations. Gundolf Reichert, an opponent of the cable car and a resident of Hindenburgplatz, the location for one of the planned stations, calls this project: “Complete nonsense.” Karl-Heinz Rochlitz, who lives in neighbouring Kessenich and is working on the issue for the Traffic Club Bonn/Rhine-Sieg (VCD) calls it: “An opportunity.”
Citizens’ groups doubt benefit of a cable car
Reichert has many arguments against the cable car. He considers the figures for transport and costs in the feasibility study to be “questionable.” Referring to measurements by the action group on Robert-Koch-Straße, he doubts there is a serious traffic problem there. The traffic flow could be improved through the construction of roundabouts in front of the Marien Hospital, on Gudenauer Weg and Röttgener Straße.
Local residents are resisting such modifications as they fear they could attract further car traffic. “The Venusberg has a parking problem,” say Reichert. He fears that this parking problem would shift to the Dottendorf and Kessenich districts, criticises the savings in the remaining local transport network associated with a cable car and warns against incursions into the land conservation areas in Venusberg and the Rheinaue. After all, 24 masts are needed to hold the cables.
Cable car offers an elegant alternative to roads
Rochlitz, on the other hand, sees a cable car as a mode of transport that can offer a really elegant alternative to the road, without the need for asphalt and tar. Although trees would have to be cleared for the masts, the effect on the forest would be manageable, especially in comparison to road construction.
The VCD member also sees some relief for Bonn main station as commuters from Cologne or Koblenz could use the UN-Campus stop. There should be no additional parking spaces. Both sides agree on that. Above all, however, the VCD expert considers it too early to finally decide about the cable car project.
No sound analysis
One must add at this point that while experts have examined the fundamental feasibility, a sound analysis of whether such a cable car would be economically viable still has to be carried out. Like local trams and buses, it would not be possible to operate it without public subsidies.
The city’s planning department told the GA that the city wants to award the contract for this investigation this summer. They are not expecting an answer before summer 2019. If this report is negative, then the cable car project for the Venusberg will be shelved. Without proof of economic benefit, the state of NRW will not approve funding of up to 90 per cent for the construction.
If the analysis is positive, the politicians will have to make a planning decision. According to manufacturers, the construction of a cable car would be possible within about a year.
(Original text: Philipp Königs. Translation: kc)
