Changing Gears: Speed Limit on Berlin's Main Streets to Reach 50 km/h Again
Increase Speed Limit to 30 on Multiple Major Roads - Traffic restrictions, specifically Tempo 30, will be removed on multiple primary roads.
In a shift of pace, Berlin's main roads may soon have a higher speed limit, stepping up from the current 30 km/h to 50 km/h on numerous arteries. Due to air quality concerns, a 30 km/h speed limit is currently enforced on 41 main traffic roads. However, this could change as the air quality in some areas has shown significant improvement, as announced by Traffic Senator Ute Bonde (CDU) following the latest Senate meeting.
The plan is to lift the speed limit on 25 streets, but this isn't without opposition. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has criticized the approach of the black-red Senate, even going so far as to threaten legal action. Jürgen Resch, DUH's Federal Managing Director, wavered, "Taking Berlin back in time, all while cementing a city-friendly car environment, is what Traffic Senator Bonde seemingly intends with the new 50 km/h speed limit. This move risks worsening air quality, increasing noise, and compromising safety for pedestrians and cyclists."
Air pollution values remain dodgy on seven main roads, so no changes are planned there. On nine other roads, the speed limit will stay at 30 km/h due to safety concerns, particularly in areas near daycare centers, retirement homes, schools, and hospitals.
The remaining 25 streets are under review. If speed limits of 30 km/h are deemed necessary for school-route safety on certain sections, they will remain in place. According to Bonde, it's mandatory to ensure road safety on "high-frequency school routes" under newly updated road traffic regulations.
Critics within the SPD faction have also expressed concerns, with transport spokesman Tino Schopf warning against arbitrarily reducing traffic safety. The checks for speed limits based on safety reasons or safe school routes are indeed crucial, Schopf emphasized.
The CDU faction leader, Dirk Stettner, has been demanding a higher speed limit on two dozen main roads. Critics view this as an attempt by the CDU to gain favor with car drivers, but Bonde claims she's under no pressure from the CDU.
Traffic experts of the Green faction, namely Oda Hassepaß and Antje Kapek, exhort parents to advocate for a speed limit of 30 km/h on school routes and near schools. "The evidence is clear: slowing traffic saves lives, particularly our childre's. It's unfortunate that the CDU continues to hinder progress and stubbornly cling to outdated car-friendly policies," they said.
During the night, the speed limit of 30 km/h could potentially be in effect at many places. The results of the checks on school route safety remain pending, but the speed limit will apply from 10 pm to 6 am nightly over an extensive network of roads totaling 230 kilometers, for noise protection reasons, as Bonde announced.
Berlin’s governing mayor and CDU state chairman Kai Wegner defended this progressive approach to traffic policy, enthusiastically stating, "We want to accelerate mobility in this city." Bonde further supported this move, intending to reinstate the standard speed limit of 50 km/h on major roads where safety isn't an issue, while keeping it in sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals where pedestrians may be present. The Senate is set to make its decision in August.
- "As Berlin considers raising speed limits on main roads, a community policy discussion may arise regarding the impact of this decision on air quality, noise levels, and safety, particularly in vocational training schools and other sensitive areas like hospitals."
- "With various factions advocating either for a higher speed limit to 'accelerate mobility' or vocational training for safe and eco-friendly transportation alternatives in Berlin, the city finance and industry sectors will likely be involved in funding and implementing these changes."
