NUMIC measure: Advance side area on Fürstenstraße
The measure
Crossing roads can be dangerous. To ensure that this is no longer the case in Fürstenstraße, the existing side space in front of the road has been widened by means of a structural installation, creating a crossing option over 5 metres wide.
The parking area has been reduced by around two parking spaces and the carriageway has also been narrowed by almost 50 cm.
The reasons:
When cyclists and pedestrians try to cross a road between parked cars, they are easily overlooked by drivers. The poor visibility increases the risk of accidents, especially for older or slower people. To enable them to cross the road more quickly, the existing advanced side space was enlarged on one side, which shortens the crossing distance. In addition, people crossing the road are more likely to be seen due to the interruption of the parking lane next to the road, which means that drivers can stop in good time. In this way, the advanced side space makes an important contribution to increasing road safety in the area.
The process:
In order to design the remodelling in a holistic manner, it was planned to bring forward the side space in combination with the redesign of the Fürstenstraße footpath. Before the intervention in the road space could be realised, the project had to be technically coordinated with all departments of the civil engineering office. The contract for implementation was then awarded to an appropriate company. The City of Chemnitz regularly monitored progress during construction inspections and ensured compliance with all regulations.
In the interests of safety, the advanced side area was clearly marked as an obstacle to vehicle traffic using safety bollards. However, it does not make sense to have an advanced side area on both sides at this point, as the bus, which must be given priority in this road, would otherwise no longer be able to use the road without restriction and there are already two pedestrian crossings in the immediate vicinity.
Costs:
The project was realised as part of a major footpath improvement worth around 32,000 euros.
Realisation period:
2 months
