Thirty regions along thirty primary thoroughfares in Berlin have been purged of the Green Tempo restrictions.
Unleashing Berlin's Streets: 30 km/h Speed Limits Behistory, 50 km/h Ahead!
Hear ye, hear ye! Berlin is stepping up its game, ditching 30 km/h speed limit signs on 34 routes, and bringing back the speedy 50 km/h! Why, you may ask? Thanks to a significant improvement in Berlin's air quality, particularly a decrease in fine dust and nitrogen dioxide levels, our fair city breathes easier than ever.
With air quality in the green zone, Transport Senator Ute Bode (CDU) is proposing to take those 34 routes for a spin at 50 km/h again, a decision set to be made by the CDU/SPD Senate this very Tuesday. Mind you, on a total of 19 kilometers, the usual speed limit will still apply if safety checks (school zones, kindergartens, and the like) don't holler a halt.
So, buckle up, Berliners! As many as 128 traffic light systems may need an upgrade, with a ballpark cost estimation of 1.6 million euros just for the traffic lights. Here's a taste of the streets in the spotlight: Albrechtstraße, Alt-Moabit, Breite Straße, Brückenstraße, Danziger Straße, Dominicusstraße, Dorotheenstraße, Elsenstraße, Erkstraße, Friedrichstraße, Hauptstraße, Hermannstraße, Invalidenstraße, Joachimsthaler Straße, Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße, Klosterstraße, Leipziger Straße, Leonorenstraße, Luxemburger Straße, Mariendorfer Straße, Martin-Luther-Straße, Oranienburger Straße, Potsdamer Straße, Reinhardstraße, Saarstraße, Scharnweberstraße, Stromstraße, Tempelhofer Damm, Torstraße, Turmstraße, Wildenbruchstraße, Wilhelmstraße.
Seven main traffic routes will keep the 30 km/h speed limit signs as they're longer than 5.5 kilometers: Badstraße, Mehringdamm, Müllerstraße, Residenzstraße, Schönholzer Straße, Sonnenallee, Spandauer Damm.
The return to 50 km/h comes with a condition: the Senate ensures better air quality through alternative measures, such as transitioning the BVG fleet to electric buses, expanding bike lanes, and tweaking the Berlin fireplace permit for wood stove users.
But don't breathe a sigh of relief just yet! The environmental zone, encompassing the S-Bahn ring and limiting entry to "stinker" vehicles with a green sticker on the windshield, stays right where it is.
In conclusion, while the detailed reasons behind this speedy change remain fuzzy as a Berlin Fog, the intentions are clear: traffic management adjustments and a touch-up to our city's traffic control systems. Exact cost figures and motivations may elude us, but one thing's for sure: the future's looking bright – or should I say, speedy? – for Berlin's drivers!
The decision to increase Berlin's speed limit from 30 km/h to 50 km/h on 34 bike-friendly routes is driven by improvements in the city's air quality. This change is expected to be approved by the CDU/SPD Senate this Tuesday, impacting all the highlighted streets such as Friedrichstraße, Albrechtstraße, and Potsdamer Straße. The Senate plans to transition the BVG fleet to electric buses and expand bike lanes to ensure better air quality, thereby justifying the faster speed limit. However, seven main traffic routes will still maintain the original 30 km/h speed limit due to their length. The environmental zone, regulating entry to "stinker" vehicles, remains unchanged.
